Save Me, Kuchiki
by Nathan J Xaxson
Summary: II of III. A conspiracy could lead to legendary consequences. Ichigo's in trouble, and Rukia can't find Urahara to help her unravel the mystery. As the plot unfolds, Rukia finds herself at the center - can she save Soul Society from unknown fate?
1. Jolted

**"Save Me, Kuchiki"**  
_by Nathan J Xaxson  
Second Tale in the Kuchiki Salvation Trilogy_

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Bleach or its characters.

**Rating: T (15+)** - language, emotional themes, action scenes

**Summary:** Yoruichi sends Rukia to look for Urahara, but uncovers a conspiracy of legendary consequences.

**Status:** This is the sequel to "Save This For Kuchiki" and is the second story in the Kuchiki Salvation Trilogy. This trilogy follows manga canon until the end of chapter 395, "The Burnout Inferno 3", but assumes a different series of events afterwards.

**Please read, review, and recommend! Cheers! **_-njx_

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_Love means one is near  
None should ever die alone  
Even death itself_

-:-

Kurotsuchi Mayuri slammed his ghost-white hands on his keyboard. "Damn that Urahara!" he swore, gritting his teeth in frustration. "Nemu, get over here!"

-:-

"Ichigo, look out!"

The orange-haired shinigami turned to watch the hollow's tail coming right at him. Swinging Zangetsu harder than the mythological Grim Reaper would wield his scythe, Ichigo cleaved off the appendage with a furious grunt. It started to scream in agony, but it's roar was stifled as Rukia blasted a blaze of blue fire down its throat. Ichigo went in for the kill, bringing his sword down and slicing the hollow in two from head to hole, causing it to explode in a cloud of dust.

The terrified plus shielded its face in terror as a small but imperial woman walked towards him. "It's okay, I'm not going to hurt you," Rukia comforted. The plus let down his guard, and the woman's deep indigo eyes and warm smile disarmed him. Her white scarf blew behind her in the wind, and she put her hand on his shoulder.

Ichigo was strapping Zangetsu onto his back, and huffed over. The plus seemed a bit frightened, seeing as how the funny-haired young man in front of him was somehow strong enough to lift a sword nearly as big as his entire body. Rukia gently patted the lost soul's shoulder to reassure him. "Ready for konso, Ichigo?"

"Nah, you can get it this time," he shrugged as though he couldn't be bothered. "They always freak out when I do it."

Rukia laughed. "Of course they would, after seeing you swinging that freakishly huge thing all over the place," she teased. "You need better bedside manner," invoking Yuzu's common critique at the clinic. Now that it had been summer, the entire Kurosaki family (which included Rukia), was on full-time duty at the clinic.

"Yeah, yeah," he grumbled, putting his hands behind his head in his usual 'whatever' pose.

Rukia turned back to the lost soul and took his hand carefully. The soul seemed a bit wary of what was going to happen next, but the woman in front of him seemed genuinely good-natured, so he wasn't startled when she took his index finger and placed it on the end of the hilt of her sword, which was still sheathed. The soul could feel some sort of inscription on it.

"You feel it?" she asked. "That's the konso insignia. Now don't be alarmed, okay? I'm just going to take out my sword and tap that little symbol onto your head. Are you ready?"

The soul looked a bit confused but nodded tentatively.

"Don't worry, this won't hurt," Rukia said as she slowly drew her sword from its ivory sheath, pearls silently dangling. Never pointing the blade in the direction of the plus so as not to scare him, she carefully raised it up to his eye level and gently touched it right between his eyes.

The plus seemed more surprised at the fact that she didn't stab him than the fact that he was now surrounded in blue light; but before he could say anything, the carrot-top waved to him and said, "Good luck. Soul Society's not a bad place. Maybe we'll see you there sometime."

Startled at the warrior's soft-hearted tone, the plus broke out into a smile. The last gesture Ichigo and Rukia could see as he disappeared was a return wave, with a soft goodbye that could be seen on his lips but not heard.

"Oi, that's a wrap. Rukia, let's get back to bed, I need to sleep."

"What's a matter, Ichigo? Two months off and all of a sudden a little hollow hunting interferes with the mighty hero's schedule?" she smirked, folding her arms.

"Very funny, bonehead. C'mon, let's go." Ever since they came back after Rukia's promotion, he had replaced his usual taunt of 'midget' with this new one. The bone hairpin that Byakuya had given her was actually quite beautiful - it was a simple yet elegant rectangular clip made from the Ninth Espada's mask, and he knew Rukia treasured it. Still, he couldn't resist. It was too much fun to piss her off.

Rukia seethed, and Ichigo didn't see the kick coming because he had already started walking back home. Chewing on dirt, grass, and feeling the tickle of an ant crawling up his nose, he started to get up when she walked over him, deliberately stepping on the back of his head as she walked past. Ichigo spit out another mouthful of mud and got to his feet, muttering about how at some point he was going to have to remember to control his impulsive mouth.

Rukia hopped back into her gigai on the floor of Ichigo's room a few moments before he crawled in through the window. Cricking her neck and rotating her shoulders to make sure it fit right, she stretched out a bit. Since her promotion, and finding Chappy in a compromising position with Kon, she had reconsidered leaving her gigai lying around without a soul; despite the fact that she had often chastised Ichigo for using his badge instead of futzing around with the perverted lion plushie.

Finding it comfortable, she felt a slight tinge of relief wash over her. As much as she had learned to love the new role she had grown into at Soul Society, she loved the freedom of the real world and the cozy, homey feeling of her gigai. So much had happened since she had donned the 13th division's vice captain badge, but she attributed most of the change to her new Kuchiki attire. She was so proud to finally feel accepted into the family, and her relationship with Nii-sama had subtly changed now that she knew he wasn't ashamed of her; but she hadn't quite anticipated how the white scarf, pin, and sheath would change her life so drastically.

Gone were the days when she was just another shinigami; where she could hide her nobility and where she attracted little attention. Unless they knew she was a Kuchiki, few could pull her out of a crowd. She was never physically intimidating, nor did she have any particular distinguishing characteristics like Matsumoto, Kotetsu Isane, or even Ise Nanao's glasses. Now, though, hiding in a crowd was impossible. She was full-blown royalty now - everyone who passed her treated her with a completely different level of respect. Being treated with the detached demeanor of humility, like they did for Byakuya-sama, was a bit new to her.

Even amongst the lieutenants, whom she considered equals, it had been a bit of a surprise. In her first vice captain meeting, which were held every other weekend, Sasakibe Chojiro had made a motion to make her Head Lieutenant, seeing as how it had been the first time in ages that someone from the Four Houses had become a vice captain. The motion was unsurprisingly seconded by Ise Nanao, who Rukia knew she could not dissuade. Nanao was too much of a feminist to balk at the idea of having a female Head Lieutenant. Matsumoto and Hinamori were on board as well - even though they both knew Rukia would never want such the title - and Yachiru was enamored with the idea. Kotesu Isane (who deeply respected Rukia for both sparing and then saving her younger sister Kiyone, despite the trouble she had caused Rukia) immediately put the issue to a vote; and before Rukia could protest, it was a unanimous decision to elect her as Head Lieutenant. When Rukia asked Sasakibe what additional responsibilities were required of her new role, she was embarrassed to hear that it a nominal position - the title was quite literally nothing more than a way of giving her "the due honor as a member of the Four Houses". She debated personally gouging out Sasakibe's eyes, but the antics that worked with Ichigo likely wouldn't fly with him.

Rukia was never one to chase honor, and that was why she was always relieved when she could return to the real world. The suffocating aspects of her nobility were not relevant here, and she was free to eat ice cream with Orhime, watch a movie with Ichigo, or lounge around in a simple sundress without needing a proverbial royal honor guard.

She was suddenly awoken from her musings when Ichigo let out a yelp. "AAAUGH!" he yipped as his soul went back into his body.

Rukia dashed to his side. "Ichigo! What's wrong!"

Sitting up, Ichigo tried to reorient himself. Rukia had a hand on his shoulder and another on his leg, and her dark eyes were worried. She waited for him to say something. "Ugh," he groaned. "I'm fine."

"What happened?" she asked, not relaxing even in the slightest.

"Nothing, I just got jolted. I must've been sleeping funny or something."

Rukia shriveled her brow. "Do you want to see Urahara-san tomorrow?"

"Nah, I'm fine, really." He was exhausted, though. "Ugh, I gotta sleep," he said, lying back down. "Rukia, wake me up in the morning, 'kay?"

"Sure thing," she said, and then tucked him in. It was one of those odd, lovingly gestures that she was trying to get used to giving him, but she was too worried to let her discomfort get in the way. She wanted to stroke a loose strand of fiery hair out of his eyes, but the gesture would have been too intimate for her. Rukia was still trying to sort out exactly what she was and was not comfortable with.

This is all my fault. If I hadn't asked him to let me do this on my own, he'd probably be fine. But no, I have my stupid pride. Two months without any shinigami action must have done something to him, she fretted.

When Rukia and Ichigo came back after her promotion, Rukia made Ichigo promise her that for the next two months, he would leave her to do all of the hollow slaying on her own. Ishida-kun and Sado-kun would take the weekends when she was back in Soul Society, but Rukia needed to do these two months without his help. She knew that he didn't like the idea, mostly because he hated staying home when he felt it was his job to protect everyone, but she insisted. The whole affair had started when she was on assignment in Karakura, and she failed to complete her assignment properly because she was nearly killed. When she explained it to Ichigo, he reluctantly agreed. Rukia needed to come full-circle; she needed closure from that fateful day.

Not that she wasn't grateful - Rukia didn't want to imagine what her life would have been like had she not stabbed Ichigo through his heart that day. She was too bound to him, this part shinigami, part human, part hollow soul that had filled some deep void in her she had since the death of the previous 13th division vice captain. Despite this, Rukia needed these two months for herself, almost to prove to herself that she was capable. It wasn't that she doubted herself - she didn't, not even for one second - but in her subconscious, it was as if the day she brought Ichigo into the world of the shinigami was the very beginning of the Winter War, and this was the last thing she needed to do to attain closure.

Closure, she thought. It's all because of that stupid pride of mine that there's something wrong with him. Rukia waited another moment to make sure Ichigo was sleeping soundly. She then used the bathroom and went back to bed, gazing over at her 'twin sisters'. She was very fond of both of them and was glad that they were both still sleeping.

Her anxiety made it hard to fall back to sleep. She considered pulling out her glove so she could keep watch over Ichigo in shinigami form, but she knew he would hate that. Anyway, if something really was wrong, he would tell me, she reasoned, and drifted off to sleep.

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_Ah, foreshadowing. More to come soon! If you like it so far, now's a good time to read "Save This for Kuchiki" [shameless plug, I know]._


	2. Stuck

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Bleach or its characters.

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Kurotsuchi Nemu was feeding Urahara Kisuke his breakfast, but the messy-haired blond ex-captain was not making it easy. "Urahara-dono, you must eat. Otherwise, Mayuri-sama will be angry with me."

Urahara Kisuke was not about to comply. Who knows what that crazy bastard put in the food? "I'm sorry, Nemu-san, I'm just not hungry today," he muttered, moving his face around as much as could, dodging her multiple attempts to shove the food in his mouth. Whenever she finally suceeded, he spit it out.

"It's just beef and udon, Urahara-dono. You need to eat, or otherwise you will get very sick. Please eat it, or Mayuri-sama will be angry."

"Well, we wouldn't want that, now, would we?" Urahara smiled. Nemu had been at this for over an hour, and was doggedly persistent. It was if she had no other purpose in life other than to ram food down his throat. Unfortunately, Urahara realized that last thought may actually be true at the moment. You never could tell with Kurotsuchi Nemu.

-:-

Later that night, Ichigo and Rukia were hanging out in his room. It had been a long day at the clinic and neither of them had felt much like going out that evening, so they took some simple downtime instead. Music was playing in the background as Ichigo lay on his bed reading, and Rukia was at the desk drafting the nightly report that she would deliver at the end of the week. Kon, who had been allowed to return to his lion plushie after a long punishment from Rukia, was reading love letters from Chappy. How he got them, neither Rukia nor Ichigo wanted to know; at least he wasn't being a pain in the ass.

As though they had been expecting it, Ichigo's badge started chirping. Ichigo grabbed it and smacked it against his chest... and nothing happened.

"What the bloody hell?" he griped, smacking himself over and over with it to no effect. "Is this thing freakin' broken or something?"

Rukia blinked widely for a moment before coming to her senses. "No time to wonder, Ichigo!" She slid her fingers through her standard-issue shinigami glove and punched Ichigo right in the head.

"OWW!" he yelled, falling backwards onto the bed. "Damnit, Rukia, that hurt!"

Rukia looked at her glove, and then at Ichigo. It didn't work! Thinking quickly, she grabbed Kon and shoved her hand down his throat, pulling out the soul candy, and then jammed it into Ichigo's whining mouth. The reaction, though, was totally gross - Ichigo vomited all over her, soul candy included.

"Rukia, I'm not sure what the hell is going on, but you have to go now!" Ichigo slapped his badge against her arm, and Rukia popped out of her gigai. "Go deal with the hollow! I'll clean this mess up," he promised, wiping his mouth with his free hand.

Rukia didn't think twice as she left her absolutely vile-smelling faux body with him as she darted out the window. What the hell is going on?

* * *

_Short chapter, but that's okay; there's more coming soon. _


	3. Tempting

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Bleach.

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Ichigo carefully lifted Rukia's gigai and hauled it into the bathroom. It was completely covered with his dinner, and it was absolutely disgusting. Her dark purple sundress - a gift from Yuzu, which matched Rukia's eyes - was stained horribly, and he could see that Rukia would likely need a completely new change of clothes.

He snuck into the girl's room to get a some clothing, grabbing a nightgown from the closet. She might as well get into pajamas, he thought, and walked over to the dresser next to the third bed. Supremely embarrassed, he opened the top drawer and grabbed the first pair of underwear he saw - something with Chappy the Rabbit plastered all over it - rather than rummage around too much. He brought them to the bathroom, praying that neither of his sisters would see him. At the moment, he realized that while the idea of stripping Rukia's body and washing it down was _incredibly _tempting, she would totally bankai his ass if she caught him. After seeing her crush Kotetsu Kiyone like a tin can, he quickly decided it would be best to call Inoue.

Ichigo ran into his room and dialed her phone number. "Inoue? Can you get here as soon as possible? I need some help with Rukia's gigai. It's, uh, kind of urgent," he stumbled into the phone.

"On my way, Kurosaki-kun!" she said, and hung up.

Orihime arrived shortly thereafter. "Where is she?"

"It, actually. Up in the bathtub. Pardon the mess, it's a bit of a long story."

She charged up the steps to open the bathroom door, and gasped when the smell wafted over her. "What happened?"

"I, uh, kind of threw up all over her," Ichigo stammered, trying to hide the red in his face.

"What were you doing?" Orhime demanded, hands clenched into fists.

"Just clean her up, okay?" he asked, turning his flushed face away from her. "There's a change of clothes by the sink. I'll explain what happened afterwards."

Orihime's eyes widened in shock as she saw Rukia's panties on top of the dress. "Did... did you go into her drawer!" she asked accusingly, eyes narrowing like she was ready to send Tsubaki after him.

"Oi, Inoue!" he said, backing off and raising his hands in a defensive gesture. "I... I..."

"Don't ever go into a girl's dresser, you pervert!"

"Hey, wait a minute! I called you to come over and bathe her, didn't I? I'm not a pervert!"

Orhime harrumphed and slammed the door to the bathroom, smacking Ichigo right in the nose. stumbling back and clutching his face in a vain attempt to prevent a nosebleed, Ichigo gruffed. "Women," he muttered, "they're all freaking crazy." Next time, I'm calling Tatsuki.

"Shut up, Ichi-nii," said Karin, who had come up the steps just as Ichigo and Orihime had started their spat.

Ichigo was mortified. "I, er, uh..."

"Don't even, Ichi-nii. I don't wanna know," Karin cautioned, walking into her room. "Dumb shinigami shenanigans," she muttered, shutting the door behind her.

Ichigo was having a very bad, horrible, no good evening. He headed downstairs to get some cleaner for the carpet in his room, and on the way back grabbed some new sheets from the linen closet. The only saving grace was the fact that Kon was still stuck as a soul pill, and could not witness any of it. If he was in that stupid plushie, he would never be able to stop rambling about Inoue washing down a naked Nee-san.

On second thought, I better not even think about Rukia and the word 'naked' in the same sentence, Ichigo pondered. Otherwise, Rukia will probably make me chew gravel for a week.


	4. Awake

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Bleach.

_**Author's note:** If you haven't yet read "Save This for Kuchiki", now might be a good time._

**

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**

Kiyone stirred, eyes opening to see a strand of familiar white hair next to her pillow. "Ukitake...sama?"

"Hai," he whispered softly. "Take it slowly, Kiyone-chan."

Kiyone's consciousness continued to bloom forth, pushing at the edges of darkness, dizziness and confusion that had enveloped her. Her muscles could barely move, and she was astonishingly weak. Where... where am I? she wondered, flickering her eyes back and forth to try and see as much as she could. Kiyone tried to move her head, but she was too weak.

"Oh, thank kami, you're awake," she heard her sister say on the other side of her, but she couldn't see Isane; the effort of turning her head was too great.

"Where..." Kiyone tried to say, but was hushed by Captain Unohana.

"Don't try to speak, Kiyone-san. Your muscles have atrophied quite a bit after two months of recovering. Now that you're awake, Isane and I can begin healing that with kido," she instructed.

Kiyone wasn't sure what was happening, but she began to feel some vitality creep into her chest as a warm glow bathed her skin from the left side. She could hear Isane sniffling, and on her right, she could barely feel her own captain holding her hand, brushing her middle knuckle with her thumb. "What... happened?" she creaked, trying to find out what in the world was going on.

"Rukia-sama saved your life," Isane began quickly, and with a suprisingly stern voice. Kiyone couldn't tell whether her sister was angry through the tears, but she was clearly assertive.

Memories dawned on her as she recalled her last concious moments, raising her zanpakutou to defend herself before a white blur crashed into her with the force of a fifty-ton comet. The realization caused her throat to constrict tightly. _ Oh my god, what have I done?_ Tears formed in the nook of her wide eyes and then spilled down the side of her face. _Dear god, what did I do?_

Ukitake saw his third-seat begin to sob as she regained the energy required to do so. "It's okay, Kiyone-chan. Don't worry about it right now."

I must have been such a fool, she thought. No, even worse - a brat. How could I have been so_ stupid?_ I disgraced myself, my division, my captain - how can I ever forgive myself? Kiyone's thoughts raced. Then a new thought came to her head - she remembered some of the more outrageous things she had said in her total lack of control, things she herself didn't even believe - accusations of nepotism against Kuchiki Byakuya. Even if Rukia might let her off with a demotion, the stoic captain would probably have her exiled from the Gotei 13; assuming he didn't kill her outright.

Ukitake stroked her cheek in an effort to get her to calm down, but Kiyone was disgusted with herself and recoiled at the gesture. _I even implicated Ukitake-sama,_ she thought, remembering how she had accused Rukia of sleeping with him; something she realized now was beyond ludicrous. How could he ever forgive her for such an accusation? How could she ever even think to say such a horrid thing?

Isane watched as Kiyone cried, bawling under the green glow of her healing kido. Isane wanted to say something, but her relief had passed, and now she was too angry to say anything that wouldn't come across as overly harsh. For weeks, she had tried to understand what had caused Kiyone to fly into a jealous rage that was beyond all logic. Try as she could, Isane was unable to comprehend what had come over her.

Unohana spoke. "Kiyone-san, there will be time later for recriminations and self-blame. For now, it is best that you rest. We will continue to help restore your strength, and then you will be sent to the captain's pavillion in squad 13 for further care tomorrow morning." Kiyone nodded, trying to compose herself but failing horribly. "Ukitake-san, you can leave her with us."

"I've slept here for the past two months, Unohana-san, I can wait one more evening," he chided.

Kiyone instantly stopped crying. Her captain had slept here for two months, watching her? Being sent to sleep in the captain's pavillion? That didn't sound nearly as bad as what she thought she deserved. She allowed herself to quiet down, and within moments, she was asleep. To her horror, the events of the promotion ceremony replayed in her head; causing her to spiral into depressive dreams so dark and deep she wished she would never wake up.

-:-

Despite the fact that Rukia had grown as a shinigami since her original assignment, she was still someone who chose tactics and smart thinking over brute force. Given the new limits imposed upon her as a vice captain visiting the real world, this strategy was more practical, anyway. She could never fight like Ichigo, the cavalier shoot-first-ask-questions-later style that managed to get him worked up over what should be a three-minute ordeal. Her battles tended to follow a similar pattern: either kill it with her signature _Hado #33: Blue Fire, Crash Down_ before it could detect her, or use one of her many binding spells to restrain it before using senka to shunpo behind the hollow's head, delivering the fatal blow. Ichigo would tease her that this strategy was boring; that it lacked challenge. Rukia taunted back that not everyone was a moron to go running head-first into a monster without a plan.

Of couse, Ichigo would inevitably end with, "Of course I have a plan. The plan is to kill the damn thing." She would then roll her eyes, and that would be the end of it. By now, it was as much as part of the hollow-slaying routine as her chained _Bakudo #4: Crawling Rope_ and _Hado #31: Shot of Red Fire_ that she used to quickly dispatch this evening's alarm call. Checking to make sure there were no plusses who needed konso, Rukia darted back on easy shunpo steps, to conserve energy.

She had no idea why Ichigo's soul was stuck in his body. It wasn't like he lost his shinigami powers and his Chain of Fate had been reattached, because at least then his soul could be pushed out. Instead, it just seemed like it was stuck. It wasn't as though the badge was defective; he had used it on her.

Her gigai! She had left it with him, sullied and stained by her attempt to use Kon's pill to force Ichigo's soul out, only to end up with a mess all over her when his body rejected it. Ichigo said he was going to clean up, and she had just realized that he may not have been referring to the little bile that had ended up on the floor. She picked up the pace and hurried to the window, hoping that she when she found her gigai, it wouldn't be, er, compromised.

Ichigo turned from the desk when Rukia hopped in through the window. "Oi, welcome back, midget."

"Where's my body?" she asked quickly, alarmed that it wasn't in immediate sight.

"I put Kon in it, he's enjoying himself on your old bed."

_"WHAT!"_ Rukia ran to the closet, flinging open the door with a loud crash. It was empty. Behind her, she could hear Ichigo laughing his head off. Smoke fuming out of her ears, she marched up to him nose-to-nose and yelled, "_KUROSAKI ICHIGO, I HOPE YOU HAVE A WILL._ Where is my_ body!_"

"Kuchiki-san? Are you back?" Orihime called from the hallway.

Startled by the unexpected voice, Rukia pulled back from the dead man walking. "Inoue-san?"

"Hi, Kuchiki-san! I have your body in the bathroom!" she smiled cheerfully, opening the door to Ichigo's room.

Rukia turned around to see Ichigo grinning goofily, Kon's soul pill between his thumb and forefinger. "Sorry, I couldn't resist," he laughed, "I called Inoue to tend to it while I took care of the carpet and sheets."

"Damnit, Ichigo," she said, pounding him on the head. "If you even..."

"Hey, hey," he interrupted. "You don't need to tell me. I want to wake up tomorrow with all my parts attached, thank you very much."

Rukia smiled, folding her arms in her classic you-better-believe-it pose. "Good boy." Turning to Orihime, "Inoue, thanks so much for coming over to help me out. God only knows what these punks would have done if you weren't here." She gestured Inoue out the door, pausing to give Ichigo a harsh glare.

Heh heh, thought Ichigo, feeling the lump form on the top of his head. That smack really hurt, but it was _soooooo_ worth it.

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_Remember to click that little link at the bottom. It only takes a minute or two, c'mon. :)_


	5. Confessions

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Bleach.

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Kiyone sat up on the bed in her room in the captain's pavillion, waiting patiently for her captain to arrive. Kotsubaki had informed her that he would be in any moment, and Kiyone still wasn't sure what she was going to say to him. Her zanpakutou, which had been wrapped carefully before being tied in its scabbard, had been placed at her bedside on the sword rack that Ukitake had set up for her when she stayed here. She remembered that the last time she had stayed here, it was so that she could have her weapon immediately ready, in case she needed to defend him when he was sick; but now she was grateful for it to serve as a proper place for Masticora to recuperate. After having the whip cleaved in two by Sode no Shirayuki, Masticora's hilt had been shattered into a billion pieces. Captain Unohana had warned her that she wouldn't be able to release Masticora for at least another three weeks, but Kiyone was amazed that Unohana even knew how to repair it all.

She stiffened as Captain Ukitake entered the room and sat down. She bowed her head as far as she could muster in her condition, and remained silent.

"Kiyone-chan," he acknowledged her. "How are you feeling?"

Although she had a friendly rapport with him, she had anticipated him to start railing against her from the moment he stepped through the door. His genuine concern was unexpected. "I, uh, I... I've been better," she stuttered.

"I'm glad you're awake. It's been a bit quiet around here without you," he teased, a running gag between the two of them about her frequent spats with Kotsubaki.

"I, uh, I..." she stammered, "I'm so sorry, Ukitake-sama. I... What I did was unforgivable," she croaked, tears building.

Ukitake frowned. "Kiyone-chan, we need to talk - for real this time. Now is not the time for hiding behind formalities. We both have a lot of explaining to do, and it's going to have to be the unfiltered truth."

"But, Uki-"

"Jushiro," he corrected, his voice soft but firm.

Kiyone stared at him, wide-eyed. She had never called him by his first name before, and she now began to understand what he was asking her. He needed her to be frank, to confess to him everything - but not just that. He was asking her to demand the same from him - to treat him as an equal, to have the right to question him, yell at him, be upset with him, and all of the other things that she couldn't do when their professional, captain/subordinate relationship required her to put those feelings in a box on the shelf. It was something she was not entirely comfortable with. "O-okay," she replied, unable to say anything else.

"Kiyone-chan, what happened to you? Why... why didn't you just talk to me?"

Kiyone couldn't help herself. She started heaving as the tears forced their way out. "I... I don't know. I wasn't thinking. I just... I was just so confused."

"Kiyone-chan," he prodded delicately, "something had to make you think that-" Ukitake coughed as he could feel the pit in his stomach burn. It wasn't the kind of cough that came from his tuberculosis. "Why? Why were you so-" He couldn't force the words out. It was certainly more awkward than he expected. "How could you think that a badge has anything to do with... with us?" he finally managed, breathing heavily as though a weight had been lifted off of his shoulders.

Kiyone was ashamed, and looked down at her lap; but she was also angry. "What do you mean, 'us'?" The question was quiet, but distant; with a strong bitterness in the words.

"I'm saying that you were foolish to never confront me directly about how you feel," he thrust forward, losing his composure for a split second, only to regain it enough to soften his tone. Ukitake knew that this fault was his. "I trust you to take care of me; to clean my wounds, to mix my tea and help me drink it when I can't move. I rely on you to help me in the middle of the night when I feel like I'm going to die from coughing blood. I trust you with the most intimate details of my miserable illness. How could you _not_ come to me? Did you think I wouldn't listen to you with the same respect you've shown me, that selfless, never-ending respect that I wouldn't expect from _anyone_ else?"

Kiyone nearly died inside. She could have suffered through a thousand other punishments, but hearing these words crushed her soul. He was right, and Kiyone had been stupid. If only she had talked to him. Now she really wanted to kill herself. How incredibly, awfully stupid of her. If Masticora hadn't been badly damaged, she would have seriously considered seppuku. "Captain, I... Jushiro-san, I mean, I..."

"How did you think," he interrupted, only to find a frog in his throat, "that anyone could replace what you've done for me?"

"I, I..." she began, but she could not continue. Her heart was leaking tears; tears so harsh that it poisoned her insides and nearly made her gag. Kiyone sobbed loudly, and Ukitake put his arms around her, drawing her into a fatherly hug. He kissed the top of her head, and gingerly ran his fingers through her golden hair. It was one something his father always did to him when he was little; when he was upset and couldn't calm down. After an uncomfortably long while, he let her go, hoping that she had composed herself enough to continue.

"I... I don't know what to say, Jushiro-san," she heaved, squeezing his name out uncomfortably. "I don't know what happened to me. Did... did you know about how I," she choked, unable to finish the sentence because she couldn't bear to verbalize it so directly. "What is this... this thing between us?" As the last words left her mouth, she could feel her body tense as it anticipated the rejection that was yet to come.

Ukitake thought carefully how to answer. "I will tell you a piece of wisdom that I learned from a vice captain," he began, careful not to implicate his own lieutenant. "It isn't like the fairy tales make it out to be. Love is much more complicated and confusing than that."

Kiyone's eyes blinked widely in astonishment. 'Love' was one of the last words she had expected to hear this evening, at least out of his mouth. "Uh, Capt- er, Jushiro-san, what... what are you saying?"

Jushiro took a moment to stand up and stretch his legs, turning around to forcefully break his gaze from her so that he could think clearly. He had intended to sit back down, but he couldn't bear to look at her when he realized what he would have to say. "Kiyone, it may not be exactly what you may have envisioned love to be, but I would be foolish to deny it."

Her heart stopped as her mouth fell open in shock. "Are you saying-" Kiyone cut her sentence short in order to swallow hard, trying to digest what the man in front of her had said. He had even dropped the honorific - and despite the fact that he used the endearing suffix 'chan' all the time, she understood that its absence implied a very different kind of communication.

"Like it or not, Kiyone, I'm a great deal older than you. It would be far easier for me to think of you as a daughter than a potential spouse, and no one more than you knows that I can hardly think about romance when I'm preoccupied with my health."

Kiyone was wounded, but not so much that she couldn't accept what he said. She had always known that her fantasies about candle-lit dinners and long, warm, cozy, sleepless nights were just that - fantasies; dreams, wishes, and nothing more. Knowing this did not lessen the pain, though, and she could feel the agony rising in her gut. The emotional bleeding was staunched when he reached out and held her hand, squeezing it tightly.

"I am at fault for this, too," he said, surprising her with the change in conversation. "It may not be a romantic relationship, but I do want your care and devotion. It's not fair of me to need that from you without being equally open and honest. I owed it to you to have this conversation a long time ago, and had I done that, things may have been different."

Completely floored by this confession but unable to allow him to take any of the blame, Kiyone instinctively retreated into the military formality that would at least provide her with something that wasn't mind-blowingly confusing. "No, Ukitake Taicho," she said, reverting to protocol, "It was all my fault. I just... I just lost it. I thought it was all going to end; and that she would move in to the pavillion and take over the position I thought I had earned." Not able to accept his confession as the truth, she added, "If I was a stronger soldier, I would have accepted it, but my personal feelings clouded my vision as an officer. Officers must always be willing to accept a change in assignments. I accept whatever punishment you deem necessary, even if it means a demotion."

Ukitake wanted to bang his head against a wall. She wasn't listening to him. "First of all, I will leave the decisions around punishment to Lieutenant Kuchiki. That said, you are already a strong soldier; and personal feelings get in the way all of the time. I can assure you your new vice captain has to juggle the same concerns."

"_Kuchiki Rukia?_ Really?"

"Absolutely. It is no secret that she and the Substitute Shinigami are deeply in love. I'm surprised you didn't already know. The only people I thought who didn't know were the two of them," he laughed.

Kiyone frowned, casting her eyes aside. She felt downright dumb for thinking her vice captain would be romantically interested in the captain, given her known relationship with Kurosaki. "I can't believe what I did to her."

"Well, you will need to talk to her when she returns."

"I know, Jushiro-san," she said, squeezing his hand. It was the first time she was able to say his personal name comfortably. "Why... why are you not angry with me?"

"I _am_ angry, Kiyone, but mostly not because of what you _did_. What you did was reckless and immature, but we've all been stressed to the point of breaking. Lieutenant Kuchiki was the most broken soul I had ever seen when you first reported to me about her outburst with Matsumoto Fukutaicho. There are plenty of others who were suffering the post-traumatic stress of the Winter War, too. You, too, are entitled to your own nervous breakdown," he teased. "I'm mostly angry because you didn't come to me sooner."

There was a repressed silence for a while. Kiyone broke it with a soft-spoken question that she barely managed to eek out. "Do you think that... maybe in the future, things may change between us?"

Ukitake's eyebrows arched, but they returned to their normal position as he gave a tiny smile. "I'm not going to bother thinking about tomorrow and beyond right now, Kiyone-chan. I'm too busy coping with the troubles I have today. But I will tell you this, I cherish what I have right now. Maybe it would be best if you focus on what you already have."

A warm glow formed in Kiyone's chest as she began to dwell on what he said. Impulsively, she decided to risk it. "Ukitake-san, I lo-"

She was interrupted with his finger to her lips. "_Don't say it,_" he warned, voice gentle but serious. "Don't say it until you understand it. I don't even think _I_ understand it. Just know that it's there, and that no matter what happens, you can always come back to it."

With that, Ukitake kissed her on the forehead in a paternal gesture, and left. He had said all that needed to be said, and heard all that needed to be heard.

He only hoped that his new vice captain would be as compassionate as he was.

* * *

_Aw... I bet Kiyone wasn't expecting this. Although, we have yet to see where Kiyone will go from here... Stay tuned!_


	6. Bittersweet

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Bleach.

* * *

To Karin, it was pretty obvious that it would eventually happen, but she figured her older brother would have the sense to find somewhere more discreet than his bedroom.

"Damnit, Rukia, it won't come out!"

"Don't look at me! It's not like you've had this problem before."

"I don't understand. Last night, I had no problems!"

Karin pulled the pillow over her ears. If she heard any more, she was totally going to puke.

"No, Rukia, I am not letting you put that thing in my mouth again!"

Karin couldn't take it anymore. She stormed out of her room, threw her brother's door open, and shouted at the top of her lungs. "_CAN'T YOU KEEP YOUR NAKED PLAYTIME TO A DULL ROAR IN HERE!_"

Ichigo and Rukia stared at her with gaping eyes. Karin was a bit surprised to see them both fully clothed, with Ichi-nii holding his weird badge thingy that Yuzu could never see, and Rukia holding something that looked like a green marble. Those idiots must have finally understood what they must have sounded like, since they turned brighter red than Karin's shirt.

"Damnit, Ichi-nii, just when I think you might actually be a normal teenager, it's just more of your dumb shinigami crap," she griped, shaking her head as she walked out the door.

_That's it_, Rukia thought to herself. _I don't care if I have to tell his dad that Ichigo contracted dysenteria; we're going to Urahara's first thing in the morning. I'm just glad Isshin took Yuzu to a movie._

-:-

Rukia had brushed her teeth and struggled to get on a pair of Yuzu's hand-me-down pajamas. While her vice-captain's training would have made her attract a lot more attention at the beach, it had really killed her wardrobe. She was still the same height as Yuzu, but her upper body toning had resulted in a slightly more prominent bust that the eleven-year old had not really begun to worry about. The pajama pants were also a bit more snug, designed for a preteen rather than someone who could now crack concrete with a roundhouse kick.

Finally managing to get the pants around her hips, she brushed her hair; forgetting any hope of taming her unruly bangs. Routine finished, she settled into bed and was finally beginning to relax when she heard a soft _knock, knock-knock-knock, knock_ on the door. That was their prearranged signal that normally came in the middle of the night, but this time she had hardly put her head down when she slipped out past the sleeping twins.

Ichigo indicated three fingers, which meant no immediate emergency, allowing her to quietly close the door behind her. Together, they slipped into Ichigo's room, where a black cat was sitting on the windowsill.

"Yoruichi-san?" Rukia asked, glancing at the clock. It was 9:15pm; but because Ichigo and Rukia's emergency shift at the clinic started at 4am, it was getting late for them.

"Good evening," the low, scratchy man's voice answered, belying her true gender.

"What's up, Yoruichi-san? Urahara-san send you over to collect a check or something?" Ichigo asked.

"No, but I've got a problem that I can't quite solve without him," Yoruichi said.

"Huh? Why, where's Uraraha-san? Is it something Ichigo and I can help you with?"

"Kisuke left for Soul Society yesterday." Yoruichi paused to clean herself for a moment. "The problem is that I'm stuck."

Rukia and Ichigo looked at each other, getting the same uneasy feeling. "What do you mean?" he asked.

"I can't change back into human form," she mewed, setting her head down on the sill.

"Seriously!"

"It's true, Ichigo. Every time I try to transform, nothing happens. And I can promise you, it's not the kind of thing you forget how to do."

"Yoruichi-san," Rukia said, suspicion evident in her tone, "Ichigo is also stuck."

"Yeah," he muttered, grabbing his substitute shinigami badge and symbolically banging himself in the head a few times with it, finishing with a whack to Rukia's shoulder to show that it was still working.

"Damnit, Ichigo, warn me before you do that," she chastised, her gigai laying on the floor. Ichigo picked it up and lay it down on his bed. She was no longer the thin, bony body that he could literally throw halfway across a football field, but she was still nothing more than a feather to him.

Yoruichi hissed unpleasantly for a moment. "Well, without Kisuke, we can't get the spiritron converter started, so Ichigo can't go to Soul Society. Rukia, you'll have to go by yourself and see if you can find Kisuke somewhere."

"Do you have any idea where he is? Why did he decide to go?"

"No, he didn't tell me. Kisuke is supposed to be coming back tomorrow, but I tried calling him to tell him what was going on; but he's not answering his cell. If anything, I would guess he was picking up a sensitive shipment, but I don't even know who his suppliers are."

Ichigo broke in. "Something is wrong, Yoruichi-san. It seems like too much of a coincidence that you and I would both be stuck."

Rukia was quick to agree. "Yeah. Ichigo couldn't answer a call tonight because of it. I imagine that your options as a cat are more limited," she worded carefully, not wanting to offend the ex-captain.

"Ugh, don't remind me. Do you know how much of a pain in the ass it is to dial a phone when you're a cat?"

-:-

Rukia wished Ichigo goodbye and turned to open a senkai gate.

It was a bittersweet moment. For the past two months, whenever she returned to Soul Society, she and Ichigo would go through a little routine. They would hold hands, close their eyes, and reveal one intimate truth; such as a favorite moment of that week, or something that bothered them that would otherwise be awkward.

Since they had come to understand that their feelings were a little bit more than just platonic, Rukia was reluctant to do anything quickly. She knew Ichigo was more comfortable than she was with the way things were changing, and she was worried that even the slightest reach beyond her comfort zone would lead to something that would send everything tumbling down. Still, she struggled to find ways to be affectionate that were still 'safe'. It was hard enough as it is - she was living in his house, for goodness sake.

Kurosaki Isshin never hesitated to call her his third daughter, the implications of which were not lost on her. Ichigo thought he was just being a whackjob, but Rukia could see that his father used his goofiness as a cover-up for his oddly-subtle-despite-seeming-impossibly-so messages. Rukia knew that as a doctor, he had to be a smart man. She had seen him in the clinic to possess a sharp, analytical mind with great perception of his patients; which totally belied his crazy antics in the house - so she didn't quite believe that she could so easily dismiss his teasing. Karin's constant implications and Yuzu's teeny-bopper fairy-tale-happy-ending dreams of Rukia and her brother didn't help.

These things combined, without even mentioning how attractive she found her comrade, made it hard for Rukia to feel like letting down her guard was a good idea. She was sure that for both of them, restraint was quite difficult already. Despite her hesitance, though, she feared that if she didn't open up at least a little bit, he would misread her and she would inadvertently end up pushing Ichigo away; something she was absolutely loathe to even imply. The balance between these two extremes was excruciatingly difficult to maintain, so she was always cautious but had made it a point to be open-minded.

So when Ichigo had suggested this little ritual - something which completely shocked her; where could someone like him even come up with such an idea? - she decided that holding hands and a brief moment of honest, heartfelt talk would go a long way. She was surprised - not only because it was his idea (she swore he must have read about it in a book or seen it on television - there was no way he came up with that on his own), but also because it had a tremendous positive impact on their friendship. It allowed her to be honest with herself - something that she had only recently come to appreciate.

Even though they both knew their feelings, articulating things was another manner entirely; especially for her. She would never forget what Ichigo admitted the first time they did this little "open-heart circle", as he decided to call it. "When I saw you walk down that carpet for your promotion, I couldn't help but notice your flawless beauty," he said, almost relieved that she wouldn't be allowed to smack him for saying such a thing. Rukia rarely blushed, and she could not remember any other time that he had made her do so. Personally, she was amazed that she felt admired rather than embarrassed. Her revelation that night was that she wanted to do this every time she needed to leave, and she fondly recalled how she could see that her comment made Ichigo's day.

Ever since then, it had become a weekly ritual before she left to deliver her reports to Captain Ukitake. Ichigo remarked that it was the only time he could say certain things without getting his head chopped off, and she appreciated the openness it fostered. Rukia had always found it difficult to talk candidly about her feelings, but somehow, against all odds, this little ritual had worked for her.

Now, though, with Yoruichi present, it was a bit too intimate of an exchange to repeat here. She could see the tiny disappointment in his eyes, and Rukia was sure he could see the same in hers.

"Rukia," Ichigo said when hell butterfly appeared, "come home soon, okay?"

She smiled over her shoulder at him. He could read the expression on her face, and knew instantaneously how to interpret it. It was thing she could never quite say, yet always make sure he understood perfectly.

* * *

_And so Rukia heads to Soul Society - what will she find? Stay tuned! Next update should be soon._


	7. Confrontation

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Bleach.

_**Author's note: **If you haven't read my first story in this trilogy, "Save This For Kuchiki", then this chapter will likely make little sense. _

* * *

Rukia figured it would be best to report to Captain Ukitake first thing to let him know that she had returned off schedule. She waved cordially to the other 13th squad members as she headed past the barracks and into the captain's pavillion. No matter how much formality they would give her, she had wanted her officers to respect her for who she was; so she made an effort to present herself as approachable rather than the untouchable nobility that was widely associated with the traditional Kuchiki scarf.

Kotsubaki was guarding the door. This was a bit unusual; typically an unseated officer was assigned to guard duty. "Good evening, Kuchiki Fukutaicho!" he barked, not daring to shed a drop of military-style formality.

"Oh, relax, Sentaro," she chided. " 'Rukia' works just fine."

"Hai, Rukia-dono," he returned. She expected as much. This seemed to be what everyone did. It was too confusing to use her last name - it had long been associated with Nii-sama - and nobody other than the captains and her closest friends dared to call her by 'Rukia' with a less formal honorific than '-sama' or '-dono'.

"Is Captain Ukitake available?"

"Hai, Rukia-dono. Also, Kotetsu San-Seki is now awake and resting in the nurse's quarters."

"Really?" she asked, her face brightening for the first time all day. So that's why Kotsubaki is here. "How is she doing?"

"Physically, I think she's weak but should be okay by tomorrow. Her zanpakutou needs another few weeks before it can be released. Emotionally, the captain tells me she's a bit turbulent. Ukitake Taicho had a long conversation with her this morning; although he indicated it went well."

"I see," she smiled. "Thanks for the report."

"Hai, Rukia-dono," he said, and opened the door to let her in.

Ukitake was reading at his desk when she came in. "Back so soon, Lieutenant?"

"Yoruichi-san sent me to find Urahara-san here in Soul Society. She said he arrived a few days ago - do you know anything about it?"

Ukitake shook his head. "No, I don't know anything about it. I would imagine, though, that if Urahara-san was coming to Soul Society, the captains would have been informed."

"I was worried about that," she said. "I think something's wrong. Yoruichi-san is stuck in her feline form, and Ichigo can't get out of his body."

"Can't get out of his body?" Ukitake blinked.

"We tried everything we could think of, but Ichigo can't leave his body as a shinigami."

Ukitake rubbed his chin, his typical thinking gesture. "Well, if someone wanted to abduct Urahara Kisuke, it would make sense to neutralize those who might be able to defend him. Yoruichi-san and Kurosaki-san certainly can't come to his aid in their condition."

Rukia nodded. "And Ishida-kun, Sado-kun, and Inoue can't get here without Urahara-san to open a spiritron-conversion gate," she reasoned. "There's still some open questions, though. First of all, Urahara-san can fight for himself. Second, wouldn't someone consider that I might come after him as well?"

"I agree, it seems odd. On the other hand, you are the only full-fledged member of the Gotei 13; and you travel back and forth regularly between Soul Society and the real world. If you were stuck there, it would stir up a lot of commotion - the 13th squad would be sent to investigate, and who knows what Byakuya-san might do if he thought you were in trouble."

She grimaced at his last comment. Her brother's historical interference, no matter how much he meant well, was a sore topic. "Hmm... I suppose. Whoever would do such a thing is certainly trying to go about things quietly."

"Let's not jump to conclusions, though, Rukia-san. For all we know, Urahara Kisuke could be fine. I wouldn't put it past him to lie about his whereabouts."

"That's certainly true. What do you suppose I do, then? Any ideas on how to help Ichigo and Yoruichi-san?"

"I suggest you talk to Captain Kurotsuchi. I'm sure he could help."

Rukia frowned. "I'll see if I can find Nemu. She's a bit more..."

Ukitake laughed. "Normal?" he offered.

"I was going to say 'approachable', but I suppose that works to an extent," she said, grinning in amusement.

"Good. But before you go, there's something you need to do."

"Yes, Taicho?"

"Kotetsu San-Seki is in the adjacent room. She should be awake, and you need to talk to her."

Rukia knew it was coming the moment she spoke with Kotsubaki, but that didn't stop a pit of iron from bouncing around in her stomach. "Kotsubaki-san informed me that you spoke with her this morning. Do you think she's prepared to face both of us in the same day? I mean, it's already quite late."

"Under normal circumstances, I would agree with you," he answered thoughtfully. "But I know Kotetsu-san well enough to know that a 'good cop, bad cop' strategy is probably best to get her back on her feet in time for tomorrow; and she's already spent most of the day sleeping."

Rukia arched an eyebrow. She loved working for this man; he was just so full of interesting little surprises. His take on the human persona was really something. "I take it you played good cop?" she smirked, enjoying the fact that her rank afforded her the option of speaking candidly with him. He was fun to shmooze with.

Ukitake nodded pathetically. "Yeah, sorry," he smiled.

Rukia chuckled. Changing her tone to one more serious, she chose her words carefully and asked, "Any important details I should know about in your earlier conversation?"

Ukitake sighed. "I told her everything."

Rukia was impressed - that was more than she could do. In all the stereotypes, isn't it the men who are supposed to be emotionally stunted morons? "How did it go?"

"Well enough, I suppose," he answered. "But when I told her that I thought she was irreplaceable, I think something inside her broke."

"Wow. That rough?"

Ukitake coughed. She had learned that this tended to happen when he was emotionally stressed. "Well, I knew going into it that the conversation wouldn't exactly be a walk in the park." Before Rukia could respond, he interjected, signaling he couldn't take much more of the conversation himself. "I am going to meet with Captain Kyoraku for lunch, so that you can have some privacy and I can have some semblance of normalcy for today. I'll let you decide how you wish to handle the situation, but remember that she's punished herself enough."

Rukia did not misunderstand him. "Don't worry, Taicho. She's got nothing on Ichigo when it comes to temper tantrums."

Ukitake could not help but chuckle. "Well, then, good luck," he laughed, getting up slowly and departing in the direction in the 8th division.

-:-

Kiyone looked up from the magazine that Isane had brought her to see her new vice captain standing in the doorway with a grave expression. Dread washed over her as the imposing, imperial Grand Lady of the Kuchiki House stood before her, a no-nonsense gaze boring into Kiyone's skull.

"Kotetsu Kiyone, 3rd seat of the 13th Division!" Rukia shouted in the authoritative voice she used when Ichigo was misbehaving.

Out of pure habit, Kiyone snapped to attention, sitting up straight in bed. "Hai, Kuchiki Fukutaicho!"

"At ease," Rukia commanded, to Kiyone's surprise. "_Speak._"

Terrified, Kiyone clutched her blanket to dry her sweaty palms. "I'm sorry, Kuchiki Fukutaicho," she said genuinely, lowering her head in deference to her vice captain. An awkward silence lingered.

Rukia did not move a single muscle, standing with one hand on her hilt, waiting for her to continue.

Awkwardly, Kiyone gathered up the courage to eek out a few words that she had rehearsed in her head. "I disgraced you, your family, our captain, and our squad." She knew it was not even a fraction of what she needed to apologize for, but that was all she could say without having a nervous breakdown.

Rukia let the words linger in the air a moment before she spoke. "Kotetsu Kiyone," she said clearly, using the same menacing tone she used in their battle, "do you have any more to say for yourself?"

"No, Kuchiki Fukutaicho," she answered, shaking. "There was no excuse for my behavior."

At that moment, though, she did not expect Kuchiki to explode at her. "Kotetsu,_ you lie!_"

Kiyone quivered in great trepidation as her vice captain advanced until she was at the foot of the bed. For a moment, she thought the Kuchiki woman would kill her right then and there. Kiyone had no answer to the accusation, she was too petrified, frozen in fear of facing her own wrongdoing.

"You're _lying,_ Kotetsu! You _had_ an excuse. _Tell me what it is!_"

Kiyone shook in fear, tears of abject terror clouding her vision. "Please, Fukutaicho, I don't know! Please, forgive me!"

Rukia didn't waste any more time. Kiyone was scared to death, Rukia had accomplished that objective. She took the girl's hand - because, really, deep down, Kiyone was still just a girl - and softening her voice with a smile, looked her third seat in the eye. "You did it because love can make you crazy. Isn't _that_ the correct answer?"

Completely thrown by the sudden change in demeanor, Kiyone couldn't help herself and started sobbing, bawling so loudly that Rukia was sure the entire division could hear. She took the golden-haired girl into a deep hug, laying Kiyone's head on her shoulder, rubbing her back and soothing her with gentle hushes.

* * *

_"Punch Down the Stone Circle" fans will remember when Rukia needed to smack some sense into Ichigo. This is the redux with Kiyone - but this funk session isn't quite over, so stay tuned. -njx_


	8. Tea

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Bleach.

* * *

The warmth of the embrace and the smooth feeling of the silk scarf against her face helped Kiyone come back to her senses, and she separated herself from her vice captain and wiped her eyes on the blanket.

Rukia waited for Kiyone to finish composing herself before beginning again; returning to her stern, authoritative voice. "I will only say this once, Kotetsu Kiyone, so you better remember it and never doubt it ever again," she instructed.

Kiyone sat still, anxious for what was to come.

"_Never_ forget this: I had forgiven you before you ever drew your sword."

Rukia allowed that to sink in for a minute before continuing, waiting until she could see her suboridnate's eyes tremble with tears. "From now on, fight by my side; as my comrade and my friend. I seek nothing else - and I will demand nothing more, and expect nothing less."

Rukia had prepared this line in her head, carefully selecting the words for maximum effect. She could see it had the intended effect as the resolve on her third-seat's face hardened into the fearless, battle-ready 3rd Seat Kotetsu she had known back when Kiyone was her superior officer. "Are we clear?"

"Hai, Kuchiki Fukutaicho! I will, I swear!" she stated with full-blown military pride, fists clenched tightly like a soldier holds his pride.

Rukia folded her arms and smiled, pleased with herself. Softening her tone again, she smiled gently at the young bedridden woman. "Good. Now _rest_ - that's an order. I want you on your feet and practicing your swordsmanship tomorrow with Sentaro." Pausing a moment, she decided to clarify. "I want the whole division to see that Kotetsu Kiyone is too strong a woman to die of shame."

"_Hai,_ Fukutaicho!"

"And Kotetsu?"

"Yes, Fukutaicho?"

"_Make sure you kick his ass,_" she teased. "I don't want anyone to think you've gone soft just because you didn't get to be vice captain."

Kiyone smiled a devilish grin, completely forgetting for a moment that Rukia was now her commanding officer. "Heh, I can kick Sentaro's ass even while carrying Omaeda on my back."

"Now _that's_ the spirit I expect from my third seat," Rukia laughed back, walking out of the Kiyone's room and off to find Nemu.

-:-

It was bad enough he had to deal with guard duty, but to make the embarrassment even more antagonizing, Kotsubaki could hear their exchange from outside. He wasn't sure what he feared more - a Kotetsu Kiyone primed with determination, or a vice captain so fierce that she could get Kotetsu in line. Either way, he had a sinking feeling that he was going to get his ass handed to him tomorrow.

-:-

Kiyone grabbed her katana from the rack next to the bed. Completely overwhelmed with emotion and flooded with gratitude for the compassion of both her captain and vice captain, she couldn't help herself. She knew it was impulsive, but that's who she was; she just couldn't stop herself. If she didn't do something, she was just going to explode.

Undoing the knot that held it shut, Kiyone unsheathed her bandaged sword. Gathering reiatsu from some unknown repository deep within her soul, she put one hand on against the flat of the blade near the tip, and flooded her strength into both ends of her zanpakutou.

_I swear that from now on, there will be no one who ever questions my loyalty to that woman._ I will follow her and lend her my strength. I will be her sword and shield, and I will return the honor I stole from her and from my division. _And you, Masticora, will do me no good like __this._

With a powerful blast of energy, the bandages on her sword burst into flame, instantly turning to ash. Glowing with reiatsu, the cracks in her blade sealed, forging and reforging itself until Kiyone could feel the mindlink brimming with excitement, awakening from slumber, and honing itself to a razor-thin edge that could split rock as easy it could spread cream cheese. Finally, Kiyone could feel her katana shimmering underneath her hands, and when she opened her eyes, the scorpion-tailed, bat-winged beast stood before her. Shaking its fur and mane, flexing its wings and lashing its tail as though it was stretching after rising from hibernation, it roared thunderously, feeling the flow of power pumping through its veins.

The effects of her exhaustion now bringing Kiyone back to reality, she resheathed her weapon and laid it on the rack, acknowledging her materialized zanpakutou with a confident nod. The two of them, only one visible to the rest of the world, lay down and slept. For the first time in a very long time, the sleep was pleasant.

-:-

Closed for _renovations?_ Did they blow the place up _again?_ Rukia wondered.

The 12th division headquarters were chained shut, and the entire compound looked deserted. The 12th squad was the smallest - there weren't many who could put up with its insane captain - and so it wasn't surprising that no one was around. Well, if they're not here, where are they? she wondered.

Then she had a brilliant idea. Ise-san, vice captain of the 8th squad, probably had the renovation paperwork cross her desk. By now, it was already quite late though, so she decided to catch the bookish lieutenant the next morning in the library, before she gets buried in her captain's paperwork.

Rukia walked home. Despite the fact that it had been her home for over forty years, she still felt a bit uncomfortable coming into the grandiose Kuchiki estate through the front gate - it had always felt a bit ostentatious to her, really - but once she made it to the comfort of her personal quarters, she felt at ease. To her chagrin, her servant was waiting for her. "Tori-san, what are you doing here? You should be in bed!"

"The evening senkai gate report indicated that you just got in, Rukia-sama, so I came to wait for you."

"Tori-san, you know I don't need you to do that. You deserve your rest just as much as anybody else." It was a constant battle with her. After her promotion, Byakuya-sama had appointed Tori to tend to her personal affairs while she was in the real world. It was really quite silly; Rukia had few personal affairs other than math homework and book reports - which she had no intention of shirking. She guessed the real reason was to make sure Ichigo never snuck in, which was equally silly since he hadn't been to Soul Society since the promotion, and honestly had little reason to come. Rukia found it stifling but had no desire to take it out on Tori; who had worked for the estate since she was a young teenager. Tori was a hard-working woman who had made it her business to help Rukia adapt to the ways of nobility when she had been adopted, and for that, Rukia had always shown her great respect.

"Hai, Rukia-sama. But then I would feel derelict in my responsibilities, and it would bring me anxiety that would not let me be able to sleep, Rukia-sama."

Rukia had to hand it to her, she was adept at refusal. "Come inside, Tori-san, and let me make you some tea."

"Hai, Rukia-sama. But I can make the tea, Rukia-sama."

"Of course, but if you never let me do it, how will I ever learn?"

"You have all the opportunity to practice in the real world, Rukia-sama."

"Tori-san, I have had an absolutely crazy day that ranged from talking cats to getting vomited on. If there was one thing you could really do to help me, you can come in, drink my tea, relax with me, and remind me that not every facet of my life is laced with absurdity. So before I lose my sanity, stop refusing me and sit down, Tori-_sama_," she said, jabbing the last word in jest. She had insisted that Tori call her Rukia-san, and whenever Tori refused, she threw the suffix back at her. It was a part of their conversations that had been going on for years.

Tori genuinely smiled and let out a soft, dignified laugh. "Hai, Rukia-_san_, you win."

Rukia felt some relief of normalcy and invited the elder woman into her room, heading to the fire that Tori had likely prepared hours ago. She filled the kettle with water and set it down on at the hearth. For Rukia, the friendly chitchat over tea was a means to catch up on the latest news around the estate, such as the hysterical tales of Yachiru's latest exploits in Byakuya-sama's mansion, and which servants were new and which had left. Rukia made it a point to give each new servant a welcome gift, and each retiree a parting gift. It was a credit to Nii-sama that he treated his servants with great dignity and respect, and in his reign over the estate, only one servant had ever left to find other work; none had ever been fired. She knew that many of the other noble families went through many, many servants a year; as the demand for diligent employees had skyrocketed after the Winter War. There was so much that needed to be repaired, and construction work drew from the talent pool.

After half an hour, Tori left; and Rukia quickly changed. She was about to go to sleep when she saw Byakuya-nii walking past. It was well past midnight, and she was positive that he was returning from his office in the 6th division compound. She hurried to her door to open it as he walked past, hoping to catch him. "Good night, Nii-sama," she smiled, wanting him to know she was home.

He turned around halfway to give her a stoic yet polite nod. As usual, he did not smile or provide any other gesture, but Rukia knew him well enough to know he did not intend to be cold; even if he was. Rukia could see that Byakuya was tired; although it would have been nearly impossible for most others to tell. Since Renji had been promoted to the captain of the 9th division, Nii-sama had not yet appointed a lieutenant; so he was stuck with many of the vice-captain duties as well as his usual ones.

"Good night, Rukia-san," he said in his warmest voice, which was not unlike his regular one but Rukia could still tell. He had called her by name, which she knew was just about the warmest expression she would get from him. Without anything further, Byakuya resumed his walk down the hall towards the family shrine, where he would say good night to a picture of his late wife Hisana (Rukia's late sister) before retiring for the night.

She closed the screens to her room, a tinge of disappointment hanging in the air. Just once, she thought, I wish he would call me 'sister' instead.

At that thought, though, she laughed to herself. On second thought, Kon technically calls me 'sister'. I can't imagine Nii-sama in the same boat as Kon. With a small smile that helped mask the disappointment, Rukia lay down to sleep, getting an odd sense that tomorrow would be crazy. Urahara was just like Ichigo in that sense - wherever that buffoon goes, she was sure he would stir up trouble.

* * *

_Hurray for a Byakuya cameo! Coming soon, Ise Nanao! Don't worry, the real action begins soon! You won't be disappointed. :) _


	9. Kotsubaki Tree

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Bleach.

* * *

Rukia easily found Nanao the next morning in the library. "Good morning, Ise Fukutaicho!"

Nanao looked up from some absurdly large book that she was perusing. It was filled with ancient incantations. "Good morning, Rukia-dono. 'Nanao' is fine," she said, using an uncharacteristically happy tone.

"My, you seem cheerful today, Nanao-san."

Nanao smiled. "I'm always cheerful in the mornings, because I know Kyoraku Taicho is still asleep. I can walk around safely through the library without having to worry about him grabbing my ass," she laughed. Rukia giggled at the thought, having seen what Nanao tended to do to her captain when she did that.

After Rukia's nominal election as Head Lieutenant, she had confronted Nanao about it; asking her not to embarass her with any further displays of unnecessary honor. Nanao was unapologetic (her feminist ideals were too strong), but she confessed that after hearing Matsumoto's tales of Rukia's breakdown, she was personally inspired from how Rukia had managed to overcome her worries. For that reason alone, Nanao wanted to throw her support behind Rukia, so that she could continue to be inspired.

Rukia had challenged her, indicating that she believed such motivations to be patently ridiculous. Nanao had laughed and confessed that while she wasn't lying, she was just trying to find ways to get Rukia to come to SWA meetings; which had Rukia laughing at her for being so desperate. Nanao had agreed, noting that if she wasn't so pathetic, would she still let Kyoraku get away with half of the things he did? The two of them laughed over that one, acknowledging that it was never easy with the men in their lives; and their friendship went on from there.

Since then, Rukia made it a point to go to the Shinigami Women's Association meetings, which she could really no longer excuse herself from. To her surprise, she no longer felt uncomfortable amongst large groups of women. She attributed that to her extended periods in high school, where it was otherwise unavoidable. She enjoyed sitting with Nanao and Momo, shooting the breeze with Nanao about work and gossipping with Momo.

Rukia's relationship with Hinamori, who by now was a close friend, was more personal than professional. Although most of Rukia's girly moments were in the real world with Yuzu, she had her girly-time in Soul Society with Hinamori, shopping for new gadgets or yukatas or whatever else Hinamori felt like doing. Matsumoto had been trying to get Rukia to enjoy some shopping time since forever, but Hinamori was much more Rukia's speed. Like Rukia, Momo-chan was much tamer than Rangiku, who was just too over-the-top for Rukia's tastes.

Despite being another female lieutenant, though, Momo's relationship with Rukia was an altogether different dynamic than Rukia's interactions with Nanao. Hinamori was a teenager, but Nanao was a woman. Despite the fact that Nanao was actually younger than Rukia by almost sixty years, Rukia gravitated to Nanao for more adult discussions. Nanao was Rukia's fellow female colleague; a professional peer who knew the ins and outs of the job, for better or for worse. Whenever Rukia needed to learn some new protocol (which was often, having never been a seated officer until she was promoted to vice captain), she went to Nanao. When she needed advice about men, she _definitely_ went to Nanao.

Nanao liked Rukia because they were cut from the same cloth. Rukia was a strong-willed, assertive female; something Nanao wished there were more of. Women in the 4th squad had both Captain Unohana and Lieutenant Kotetsu as great role models, but the women in other divisions were not as lucky as far as Ise Nanao was concerned. Besides Soifon (who was generally never around, being a covert ops agent and all), there were not many suitable role models for the combat-oriented female shinigami, who needed to see other women who could go toe-to-toe with the more numerous men among the Gotei 13.

Rukia knew that Nanao had looked up to Lisa Yadomatru, but when the topic of role models had come up, Nanao had actually compared Rukia to someone they both knew well, Shiba Miyako. Rukia was a very humbled for the comparison to her former third seat - she had greatly admired Kaien-dono's wife, and felt truly honored by Nanao's remark.

From this and many other conversations, Rukia had formed a deep bond with her. Nanao was one of those people who screamed reliable and trustworthy - exactly what Rukia needed at the moment.

"What brings you to the library? Need some help on a spell?" Although Hinamori had been Rukia's most recent mentor and the recipient of most of her questions, Rukia often consulted with Nanao on some of the subtleties of kido; as Nanao was an expert in her own right.

"Actually, no. I was looking for Nemu-san, but the 12th division compound is all chained up, saying it's been closed for renovations. Unless you happen to know where Nemu-san is, I thought any paperwork requesting a location change may have crossed your desk."

Nanao sighed. "Yes, I did see something about that. Something about how the 12th division compound accidentally got infected with some crazy virus that turned people into liquified goo," shaking her head as if to wonder how that insane captain got away with this kind of ridiculous crap. "The Captain-Commander asked for them to be temporarily relocated somewhere far away, and when given a list of options, Kurotsuchi Taicho decided to relocate to the underground mines in Kobayashi, where their experiments wouldn't put the entire Sereitei and Rukongai at risk."

"I bet Kurotsuchi Taicho was probably annoyed at having to move all of his equipment," Rukia laughed.

"Oh, he was pissed. He had to file a convict pardon form to get Urahara-san to come help move some of the stuff; apparently it had been set up by the old eccentric goof ages ago and he was the only one who knew how to move it. You know how much Kurotsuchi Taicho hates him."

Rukia blinked. "Actually, that's why I'm here; Yoruichi-san sent me to go find Urahara-san."

Nanao furrowed her brow. "Why? Is something wrong?"

Rukia dodged the question, not wanting to overexaggerate the problem in case it was really nothing. "Yoruichi-san isn't feeling well and couldn't come get him herself, so she asked me to come back a bit earlier than usual."

"Hmm. Well, I assume you'll need a map to get to the Kobayashi Mines, that area is pretty far from here. You'll need to shunpo most of the way."

Just then, a deep voice could be heard calling from the entrance to the library. "Ne, kawaii Nanao-chan? Are you hiding from me in here again?"

Nanao rolled her eyes in disgust. "Let me get that map for you right now, before Kyoraku Taicho finds me," she snarked, and headed off to the back of the stacks.

Well, at least she knew where to look for Urahara; and if she didn't find him, hopefully Nemu could help.

-:-

Rukia went to the captain's pavillion to inform Ukitake that she was heading to the Kobayashi Mines, stopping by the practice field for a moment. She wanted her division to know she would witness Kiyone kicking the absolute crap out of her fellow third seat. The only one who wasn't there was Ukitake; no one else wanted to be the poor sap who missed out on the spectacle.

Wow, she really _is_ a badass, Rukia thought, watching Kiyone whack Sentaro with her bamboo sword over and over. Kotsubaki was shirtless for some reason, which was extra-dumb of him - he was black and blue all over, and when he missed on his last swing, Kiyone let him have it with an ultra-powerful crescent kick that left him licking asphalt.

Rukia saw this as an opportune time to interrupt. "13th Squad!" she shouted, watching everyone turn around to her and instantly snap to attention, including the two third seats; which was rough for Kotsubaki since he appeared to have a broken jaw. _Damn,_ Rukia thought. What's she like when she's _fully_ recovered?

Making sure that everyone had her attention, she announced loudly, "Good morning, everyone."

"Good morning, Kuchiki Fukutaicho!" the entire division shouted, as per protocol.

"Let me make sure everyone is perfectly clear: I may be your vice captain, but it is the third seats that have run this division, and will continue to do so in my absence. I trust the lives and honor of my division to the leadership of these two shinigami," she said, wording it so that implication was obvious, "and I expect the same of everyone here. Am I clear?"

"_Hai_, Kuchiki Fukutaicho!"

"Excellent. Carry on," she said, leaving for the captain's pavillion, smiling to herself. She had been somewhat concerned with the responsibilities over the hearts and minds of her squad, but she remembered the message on the inside of her badge. She realized that if Kaien-dono had been so widely respected and loved, if she followed in his ways, it would be easy. It wasn't - but she also knew that her squad responded well to that commanding-yet-beneficent form of leadership; and it was a style that had suited her. It made Rukia intensely proud. She felt like she was fulfilling some sort of unspoken promise that she had somehow made to Kaien-dono long ago.

"Good morning, Lieutenant," Ukitake greeted her as she entered the captain's room. She loved it when he called her that.

"Good morning, Ukitake-sama. How did you sleep?"

"Surprisingly well. I guess all of that emotional venting, combined with a real bed, can do someone a lot of good," he laughed.

Rukia grinned. "Yeah, tell me about it," she chided, sitting down in front of his desk.

Before she could inform him of her plans, he poured her some tea. "It seems that your conversation with Kotetsu San-Seki went well yesterday. She awoke this morning looking like she was ready to fight a horde of Menos Grande," he laughed before taking a sip of his own tea.

"She's a surprisingly strong kid," Rukia replied, recalling the kick that had single-handedly planted a Kotsubaki tree on the training field. "I think you were right about the whole 'bad cop' routine, it worked great," she teased.

"That's good to hear," Ukitate chuckled. "What's up?"

"Lieutenant Ise informed me that Urahara is likely assisting the 12th division's temporary relocation to the Kobayashi Mines, so I wanted to let you know I was going to be heading out there."

Ukitake groaned. "Yeah, please don't remind me about that. I saw Kurotsuchi-san turn into liquified goo once. I think Kotetsu-kun needed to drug me every night for a week just to drown out the nightmares."

Rukia's left eyebrow arched in amusement. "I won't ask, then."

"You would be wise to take someone with you. It's a long trip, so you'll need to shunpo there."

Rukia didn't have to think hard about it. "Would you mind if take Kotetsu-san?"

Ukitake was a bit surprised at this request, but didn't seem too bothered by it. "Sure, if you think that's a good idea."

Rukia nodded and placed her empty tea cup on the table. "I think it will be a good opportunity to earn her trust and support. Speaking of Kotetsu-san, did she make this tea? It's really good."

Ukitake nodded, unable to keep a smile from spreading across his face. "Yep, she makes the absolute best - so you better bring her back here in one piece, okay?" he teased.

Rukia laughed as she got up to exit the captain's room. "Sure thing, Taicho. Thanks for the tea," and waved as she headed towards the practice field.

-:-

The 13th squad shinigami were surprised to see their vice captain again so soon, but before they could interrupt their practice sessions, Rukia signaled for them to continue. Making it over to where her male third seat was supervising, she called out to get his attention. "Kotsubaki San-Seki, I need you to take responsibilities for all of today's sessions. I need Kotetsu-san to accompany me on a scouting expedition to the new 12th division compound."

Kotsubaki was not surprised at this. He had expected that at some point, Lieutenant Kuchiki was going to need to take Kotetsu for some one-on-one time, although he didn't know whether it would be for Kiyone's benefit or detriment. He nodded in agreement. "Hai, Kuchiki Fukutaicho. Kotetsu San-Seki is over there, working with some of the newer recruits," pointing on the other side of him. Rukia thanked him and headed in that direction.

Rukia interrupted the smaller group, which was practicing mid-level swordplay. The 13th division was specifically charged with routine hollow hunting in the real world, so although shunpo was not an essential skill, all members needed to be well-rounded in both swordsmanship and kido. Some were better in one skill than the other, but like Rukia, had decent proficiency in both rather than excel in one particular field. When they saw her approaching, all of the new officers snapped to attention. Kiyone sheathed her sword but otherwise waited for instruction, as expected. When in front of unseated officers, ranked shinigami were to remain at ease unless their attention was called by a commanding officer.

"I'm pleased to see that the new recruits are getting such good attention," Rukia began casually, so as not to make anyone feel skittish just because of her. She then turned to address the unseated officers. "Unfortunately, I need to embark on a special scouting expedition to the Kobayashi Mines. Seeing as how the only way to get there is shunpo, I need to take someone who can keep up with me. Since I know from experience that Kotetsu San-Seki is likely the only one in our squad able to do so, you will all have to join the main group under Kotsubaki San-Seki for today. Does anyone have any questions?"

"No, Kuchiki Fukutaicho!" they answered in unison.

"Excellent." To clamp down on any potential suspicion about whether or not Kotetsu would return, Rukia clarified: "Make sure you demand your deserved attention from Kotetsu San-Seki when she returns - now head on back to the main group."

"Hai, Kuchiki Fukutaicho!" they barked before running off towards Kotsubaki.

Once the last of the unseated officers was out of earshot, Kiyone was the first to speak, her face indicating a bit of concern. "Kuchiki Fukutaicho, I-"

Rukia didn't know what she was going to say, but she cut her off anyway. "Kotetsu-san, I meant what I said. You were once my superior officer, and you had faith in me. I've learned enough about people in my life to know I owe you the same."

Kiyone looked into the intense gaze of her vice captain. It took a moment for her to look past the imposing scarf and pin and see the genuine understanding in her eyes - but when she did, any extant doubts over whether or not her vice captain held a grudge disappeared. Finally feeling her self-confidence return - that burning fire of her determination to excel at everything she did - Kiyone's expression hardened to return the ferocious intensity of Rukia's stare. "I'm ready, Lieutenant."

"Good. Here's a map - you navigate. C'mon, let's go."

* * *

_Hurray for a cameo with Ise Nanao! Next chapter - THE ACTION BEGINS!_


	10. Kobayashi Mines

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Bleach.

* * *

On the way, Rukia had explained to Kiyone the entire situation as she knew it. Kiyone agreed with her that something was suspicious about Ichigo and Yoruichi's coincidental timing, but it was little to go on. Rukia was not a shunpo master by any measure, but by necessity of her nightly Rukongai runs during her last intensive training session, she had become quite fast by comparison to the other lieutenants. Other than Renji, though, she couldn't really keep up with any of the captains.

Regardless, her shunpo was better than Kiyone's; who was about on par with the other vice captains. A few times, Rukia realized she was going slower than normal in order to stay behind Kiyone, but for the most part, Kiyone's pace was fairly quick; and they were making good time towards the edge of the Rukongai. They would take a quick break for lunch before they continued on toward the Kobayashi mountain ridge where the mines were.

Rukia had opted to follow Kiyone in order to let her feel empowered. Even though Sentaro was formally the same rank, Kiyone had been the acting lieutenant; she had attended all of the lieutenant's meetings and was generally considered a more likely candidate for promotion. Rukia also knew that Sentaro was not even close to achieving bankai, and he had confessed to her that he believed he likely never would. In any case, Kiyone was used to being top dog of her division, and even if Kiyone had been perfectly fine with Rukia's promotion from the start, Kiyone would have struggled to adapt to having someone other than the captain above her. Rukia had no desire to divest either of her third seats of their leadership qualities, so now that Kiyone had returned to the squad, Rukia wanted to make every effort to help Kiyone feel at home in the new power structure.

They reached the edge of the Rukongai and stopped to eat some provisions that they had packed before they left. It wasn't anything wonderful, but it was passable, and Kiyone had summoned the courage to ask Rukia about the latest goings-on in the real world. As part of the 13th division, Kiyone had spent a lot of time in the real world (mostly stationed in Brazil) but had almost always gone as a shinigami. It took Rukia a while to remember that most shinigami never even set foot in a gigai once in their entire careers. Come to think of it, she had seriously doubted that Nanao had ever shopped in the real world, either. During this conversation, Rukia discovered that Kiyone was also a Chappy the Rabbit fan, and so they had much to bond over during their brief meal.

They went back to flash-stepping towards the Kobayashi mountains for at least another hour, when Kiyone stopped suddenly at the far edge of the mountain's base.

"What's wrong?" Rukia asked, skidding to a halt.

"My last flash step felt wrong, somehow; as if the reishi underneath my feet was disappearing."

Rukia reached down and sifted her fingers through the rocky soil. "Hmmm. Kotetsu-san, what do you know about the Kobayashi Mines?"

"All I know is that they mine some sort of rock or mineral there. Why?"

"Be prepared for trouble, Kotetsu-san. I think the reason you felt the reishi disappearing is because there seems to be sekki-sekki in the soil."

"Sekki-sekki?" she asked.

"You may have heard of it as bloodlust stone. Pure sekki-sekki is immensely heavy and can nullify reiatsu entirely. When it's diluted, such as when there are trace amounts mixed in concrete or dirt, it can absorb and drain your spiritual pressure."

"How can you tell?"

"Senzaikyu is made out of it." Rukia could see that Kiyone indicated that nothing more need to be said, so she changed topics. "We'll have to walk from here."

Kiyone agreed, and they continued on foot for another hour until they reached the ridge overlooking the Kobayashi Mines. It appeared as though the mines were inactive at the moment - all of the machinery was sitting idle, and no one was milling about.

Rukia caught sight of Akon, who she thought might have been the 12th division 3rd seat but couldn't say for sure. He was easy to identify - not too many shinigami had horns - and he was standing by the entrance of a particular mine on the opposite side of the equipment. He appeared to be on a smoke break, but Rukia couldn't say for sure what it was from her vantage point. Since they were so high up, he couldn't see them without looking up in their direction. "Oi, Akon!" Rukia called.

Akon looked up to see Rukia, flanked with Kotetsu Kiyone, and fled into the mine.

"Damnit! Follow me!" she swore, rushing down the small trail carved into the side of the ridge. Kiyone followed her closely. "I don't know what's going on, Kotetsu-san, but it doesn't smell right."

They made it to the entrance when a small platoon of six unseated officers from the 12th division came out of the entrance to the mine, swords brandished. It was clear that they wouldn't be allowed in.

Rukia glanced sideways at Kiyone, and gave the quiet command. "Nonlethal force, Kotetsu-san."

"Hai," she nodded, and raised her hands to cast a spell. _"Bakudo #4: Crawling Rope!"_

The 12th division soldiers grinned as the spell utterly failed. A twinge of white light tinkled in Kiyone's palm, but otherwise nothing happened.

"Too much sekki-sekki, Kotetsu!" Rukia called, jumping into the fray, landing a swift airborn foot into the forehead of an officer.

Kiyone darted in, diving low to deliver a solid swipe of her calf behind the knees of an assailant. Rolling away, Kiyone removed her sword and scabbard from her belt, using it as a blunt melee weapon to block a downwards strike that would have otherwise lopped off her arm. Blow deflected but still in poor position close to the ground, she jammed her elbow into the side of her attacker's kneecap, crumpling his stance, and then rose to her feet with an open-palm uppercut to the jaw. For a woman only five feet tall, she knew how to maximize her leverage.

Rukia dodged an upswing and kicked the officer in the hand, dislodging the weapon and forcing the officer to instinctively grab it and yowl in pain. Taking advantage of the opening, she stomped on his foot and planted a punch to the forehead; then ducked forward and extended her left leg out behind her to plant her heel on another guard's diaphragm, knocking the wind out of him. She spun around fast in a horse-buckle, whipping her right foot over the horizontal axis of her body to knock him right in the temple. Seeing that Kiyone was handling herself just fine, Rukia withdrew her sword to block the fifth guard's assault, pushing upwards to misdirect the blow and then jamming the square point of her unreleased katana's crossguard into the bridge of his nose. She was careful not to break his skull, but he fell to the ground like a sack of bricks.

Kiyone dispatched the last guard, clubbing him in the side with her sheathed zanpaktoh and then jamming the blunt end straight into his cheek, swinging her foot across his ankles to knock him literally heels-over-head. He hit the dirt with a thud, groaning and not moving. Assessing the coast was clear, she turned to her lieutenant for instruction.

"Quickly, before they get a chance to send more reinforcements!" Rukia ordered, and they dashed into the mineshaft, running at full pace.

The cavernous space was lit by wychglows, an eery spiritron creature that was native to the forests on the opposite end of the Rukongai; but were often domesticated for this purpose. Wychglows were harmless floating orbs that gave off a phosphorescent green glow, and survived by digesting carbon dioxide and releasing oxygen; similar to plants. For this reason, they made perfect companions in dungeons, cellars, mines, and other places that rarely saw the light of day but needed human exploration. They reproduced by dividing themselves in half, and hollows seemed to avoid them.

Both the Kuchiki and Ugendo estates used wychglows to light their estate at night, so they weren't foreign to either of the women as they raced down the mineshaft. Rukia could tell that the mineshaft had been ignored forever, since the creepy green orbs were nearly everywhere. Without any natural predators or proper "weeding," they tended to over-reproduce, and the more there were, the faster they overpopulated.

The effect was that the mineshaft was bathed in green light nearly as bright as the outside. Kiyone could see that someone had installed fan-powered ventilation shafts to let out the stale, over-oxygenated air, otherwise, one spark and the entire place could blow. That was likely why Akon had left the mines to smoke. They followed the path deeper and deeper, but Kiyone was a bit nervous that they hadn't run into any further opposition, and kept her eyes peeled to make sure that the ventilation was adequate.

As they rounded a corner, though, they reached a room with two hallways, one that went left and another that went right. Rukia made an executive decision. "Let's split up. Keep careful track of where you go from here - if you don't find anything in four hours, come back this way." Kiyone nodded, and they split up.

Rukia ran down the corridor, adrenaline pumping when she saw a group of 12th division members hanging around a door, drinking. Taking a random shinigami from behind by surprise, she landed a karate chop to the collarbone, and then kicked him in the rump to shove him forward into the rest of the group. Rukia took advantage of the confusion to land a swift tornado kick to another sentry, and then dived to the floor as a sword from behind her sailed overhead. She thrust up in a handstand to grind the assailant's chin against his upper jaw, and then quickly got to her feet.

Rukia evaded a two-handed slash as it came down, but kicked down on the back of the swishing blade mid-motion to throw the assailant off balance. Quickly, she pulled the hilt of her katana as if to draw it, allowing the end to smash into the shinigami's face before she unsheathed the entire blade. Stepping back, she parried a spear and then whacked the flat of her blade against the opponent's hip to distract him, then punched him in the stomach; stunned temporarily. Rukia pushed him with her free hand as hard as she could to throw him back into a recovering 12th division member. Seizing the discarded spear, she rammed it into the rocky dirt floor, pinning him in place through the cloth of his uniform between the legs - enough to make him think twice about a further attack but not enough to change his gender.

Rukia surveyed her surroundings, and seeing one of the fallen shinigami stirring, kicked him again in the collar for good measure, allowing his head to slam against the stone wall. Listening carefully, she could hear someone approaching toward the sliding door from inside

"If you drunks don't keep your volume down, they're gonna find us-" Akon complained as the door opened, only to find the imperial lieutenant staring him in the eye with the tip of her katana. If he so much as sneezed, he would lose his nose.

_"_Tell me right now where Urahara Kisuke is, Akon, _or I carve your head into a sculpture of Nnoitra Jiruga.__"_

_

* * *

Action, baby, action! And for those of you who can't remember, Nnoitra's hollow hole is where his left eye should be. _


	11. No Choice

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Bleach.

* * *

Akon didn't move. He was a scientist, not a soldier; and there was no way he could fight back against a Kuchiki. So he tried to smarm his way out. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

Rukia cut his cheek with the tip of her sword faster than he could blink. "Did that jog your memory?"

Akon's face burned. He wasn't used to this. "Uh, why don't I take you to Lieutenant Kurotsuchi inside? I'm sure she can help you," he whimpered.

Rukia's glare harshened as she decided that was her best option. She hurled him around with a flick of her hand around his collar, and then pushed him in the back with her hilt, signaling him to lead the way. Rukia kept her katana's edge resting on his shoulder, indicating she could chop his head off if he tried anything funny.

Akon opened the door with a passcode and led her inside. It was a gigantic room, filled with natural stalactites and stalagmites; most of which touched at the middle. A makeshift laboratory had been set up, with various stations surrounding the base of many of the stone spires. Kurotsuchi Nemu was fussing with some papers in a filing cabinet, but when she turned to find Akon taken hostage, she dropped the papers and quickly moved closer to the center of the room, taking a defensive stance. Rukia was surprised to see that she had her zanpakutou - a wakizashi - which she rarely carried. That confirmed something was wrong.

Rukia pushed Akon to the side. "Akon, if you so much as cause an ounce of trouble, I will personally rip off every one of those horns and make you eat them. Got it?"

The normally devilish-but-dignified member of the 12th division cowered uncharacteristically in a corner, allowing his survival instincts to take over. After he had witnessed Lieutenant Kuchiki in action eight weeks ago, he had no desire to be within a fifty-foot radius of her. "I swear I won't move, just don't kill me."

Nemu interrupted Rukia's attention. "Akon, Mayuri-sama will be angry with you."

"Yeah, well, go screw your old man again," he retorted. "I'm not ending up as julienne fries because of this nonsense."

"Head Lieutenant Kuchiki Rukia," Nemu began in her subservient tone that was betrayed by her hand on her hilt, "how can I help you?"

"Where is Urahara Kisuke?" Rukia demanded, brandishing her katana.

"He is currently detained, Kuchiki-sama."

"Where? Why!"

"I cannot tell you, Kuchiki-sama."

Rukia's temper flared. "Don't make me do this, Nemu-san. Tell me where he is!"

Nemu drew her wakizashi. "I'm sorry, Kuchiki-sama. I don't have a choice. I have been instructed not to tell you any more than that."

"What did you do to Ichigo and Yoruichi-san?"

Nemu remained still and repeated with exactly the same cadence as before: "I'm sorry, Kuchiki-sama. I don't have a choice. I have been instructed not to tell you any more than that."

"Damnit, Nemu-san. Don't make me beat it out of you," Rukia grimaced, gritting her teeth. She hated this - she had no dislike of Nemu and even pitied the woman for the abuse she was put through.

"I'm sorry, Kuchiki-sama. I don't have a choice," she restated robotically. "I have been instructed not to tell you any more than that."

Rukia eyed Nemu with a fierce but contemplative gaze. "I can take Akon hostage, you know."

"Mayuri-sama has indicated that Akon is expendable."

Rukia wanted to cuss at the top of her lungs, but it would have been too undignified. Her reiatsu was building; the intense, willing alacrity heightening her senses, telling Rukia to force it out of her. She knew Nemu could see the white haze that emanated off her in all directions.

"I am sorry, Kuchiki-sama, but if you raise your sword at me, I have been instructed to kill you."

"I'm sorry, too, Nemu-san," Rukia said reluctantly, steeling herself from the last tinges of emotion that held her back. She ran and leaped off of a spire of rock, pushing off to gain altitude in order to propel herself behind Nemu, planting her feet on a stalagmite to spring forward full-force towards her opponent.

Nemu, who was fast and had been specifically created with excellent combat skills, deftly blocked the strike; but it did force her back a few feet. Rukia took the opening to follow a well-trained star-patterned slash attack, vertical-down-left, diagonal-up-right, horizontal-left, and then backhand the last slash for extra power. Nemu was equally well-trained and skilled enough to block the familiar attack pattern, but was surprised by the small woman's ferocity. After the final blocked strike, Nemu leapt backwards for some breathing room.

"You fight well, Kuchiki-sama. You are much stronger than you appear," Nemu spoke respectfully.

"Yeah, well, that's what you get from training with Komamura Taicho," she jibed.

Most would have been terrified of anyone who would dare face the gargantuan captain in a fight, but Nemu didn't even flicker at that last comment. Instead, she kept her tone matter-of-factly; almost robotic. "The walls of this cavern are made entirely out of pure sekki-sekki. You cannot use kido, shunpo, or even release your zanpakutou in these mines."

Rukia was unfazed. "You think I didn't know about the sekki-sekki?"

Within half a second, Nemu's sword would have nearly pierced her liver had Rukia not blocked the strike with the flat of her blade; but the force knocked her backwards onto the stony floor. She quickly rolled backwards onto her knees and raised her katana crossbar style to block the powerful, two-handed swing the would have otherwise split her in half from shoulder to shin. She strained to resist Nemu pushing down on her, who had both leverage and position.

"Mayuri-sama knew that, in the mines, you would need to fight on physical strength alone. I am eight-and-a-half inches taller, and forty-two pounds heavier - more than fifty percent of your weight. Mayuri-sama has already calculated that I will eventually overpower you by brute force," and she released the pressure on their locked swords to kick Rukia squarely in face.

Rukia opened her eyes from the flat of her back to see Nemu coming down point-first at her throat. She rolled left, and the strike sliced through her scarf, lodging the wakizashi into the ground but pinning Rukia. Still on the ground but on her stomach now, Rukia swung her sword as best as she could to catch Nemu in the back of the ankle, severing the Achilles' tendon. Nemu groaned as she hobbled against the pain, which afforded Rukia a moment to pull off her scarf and get to her feet.

So that explains it, she thought. That's the other reason why they didn't bother with me. Ichigo or Yoruichi could easily outmuscle Nemu; so they needed to be dispatched ahead of time. I guess they didn't know about my training with Komamura-sensei, or Captain Kurotsuchi probably would have anticipated that, too.

Not wanting to waste the opportunity, she checked to make sure Akon hadn't moved, and then swung her sword wide at the short-skirted lieutenant. Nemu was prepared, and leaned backward to avoid the strike; and then parried, aiming for Rukia's face but punching her in the collarbone instead. Rukia was used to worse from her sensei, and grabbed Nemu's wrist before she could pull it away from the awkward strike. To Nemu's complete surprise, Rukia head-butted her in the chin with a short hop, while simultaneously snapping her wrist with a tinkling crack. Rukia then kneed Nemu in the crook of her hamstring where the nerve was, and finished by punching Nemu in the face with Nemu's own broken hand. Nemu stumbled backwards but somehow retained her footing, although Rukia wasn't sure if Nemu would continue to fight.

"Nemu - _where's Urahara?_"

Nemu didn't answer. Instead, she pulled out a needle and injected herself. Rukia watched with distaste as Nemu screamed in agony. Ishida had described this to her once, so she could tell that Nemu was regrowing her tendon and wrist. Rukia didn't have the heart to strike the vice captain while she howled in pain from the effects of the serum. When it was over, Nemu shook her head as if she was shaking off a bad dream, and pulled her zanpakutou from the ground. Before Rukia could say anything, Nemu lunged at her with renewed vigor.

Not fully prepared for such a split-second strike, Rukia awkwardly blocked it, but their crossguards clanged and the reverberation jolted each of their hands, forcing both of them to drop their blades. Nemu, who was much more comfortable in hand-to-hand combat than swordsmanship, strategically knocked both of the blades towards Akon with a swift kick. Rukia could see that Akon wanted nothing to do with either of them, but she didn't have time to dwell on it as Nemu started by throwing punches.

Blocking until she could find an opening, Rukia went for the element of surprise. "_Hado #33: Blue Fire, Crash Down!_"

The fierce blast caught Nemu square in the chest, knocking her back ten feet into a pillar of stone. She grunted as she fell to her knees, her charred flesh carrying wisps of smoke. Panting heavily, she coughed blood before rising back to her feet. "I don't understand. Even Mayuri-sama can't use kido with all of this sekki-sekki around us."

Rukia threateningly allowed her reiatsu to flare. Now that she had shown her hand, the real fight would begin. "Captain Kurotsuchi obviously didn't remember that the Senzaikyu is made out of purified bloodlust rock, or know that I just spent five weeks training in sekki-sekki restraints. Unless it's directly touching my skin," Rukia revealed, "I'm immune."

* * *

_That's right, baby: Rukia is officially a badass. Next chapter: the showdown continues, and Rukia is confronted with a decision from the darkest circle of hell. And I know y'all are reading this, so please, leave some **feedback**! Thanks!_


	12. Dignity

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Bleach.

* * *

"Nemu-san, just tell me where Urahara is."

"I'm sorry, Kuchiki-sama. I cannot do that. I have been instructed to kill you instead." Nemu regained a battle stance, but the pose was momentary. She charged and jumped, aiming a flying kick to Rukia's head. Rukia deftly evaded and tried to counter-punch, but Nemu deflected it with an elbow and planted her knee in Rukia's gut. With momentary advantage, Nemu punched downwards into the back of Rukia's neck, slamming her into the floor. Nemu quickly kneeled down over Rukia's back, pinning her facedown by the shoulders. Grabbing Rukia's thick black hair, Nemu began raising Rukia's head to smash it into the rocky floor.

Before Rukia could suffer a broken face, she threw her foot up as hard as she could to surprise Nemu with a scorpion kick to the back of the head. Nemu was knocked forward, freeing Rukia from the floor; and she scampered to her feet and cast a quick kido healing spell to stop her nosebleed.

Nemu was quick to strike again, worried that if she didn't move quickly, she would give Rukia time to cast another close-range kido spell. A throat kick was deflected, but Nemu used the deflection to change her momentum and send her other foot into the small of Rukia's back. Rukia grunted but took it like someone who was built twice her size, and surprised Nemu with a left hook to the ear, sending stars to the 12th division lieutenant's vision.

Backing up in an attempt to put space between them, Rukia needed to be extra careful. Nemu had a much longer reach, and was clearly much more adept at hand-to-hand then Rukia was. Nemu used the extra space to throw snap kicks at Rukia, which were easily blocked but kept Rukia from gaining time to recover.

Rukia's adrenaline was on full throttle. Wait for it... wait for it... _Now._

Nemu's forward snap kick arched forward, and with perfect precision, Rukia leaped into the air; planting the toes of her right foot on Nemu's shin mid-kick. Rukia's knee was bent like a coiled spring; and using it as a powerful springboard off of Nemu's shin, she rotated quickly; swinging her entire left leg around into a mighty, mighty roundhouse. The airborn kick had all the power of Rukia's 360-degree jump combined with the added force of Nemu's own snap kick. It would have been impossible for Nemu to anticipate such a thing, and as such she had been left wide open. The centrifugal force of Rukia's heel was so crushingly powerful that when it connected with Nemu's face, Akon shivered at the sound of snapping neck bones that echoed thunderously through the cavern.

Rukia landed, feet spread wide and one hand on the ground, other arm trailing behind her back for balance. Panting and slightly out of breath, she went over to survey what had happened to Nemu, but the door creaked and she turned to see Akon trying to escape. "_Bakudo #61: Six Rods of Light Prison_," she cast, pointing her finger at him; and he was instantly frozen in place as the barrier locked down on him, completely immobilizing him. He couldn't even sneeze if he wanted to. Ah, I love that spell, she thought. Now I know why Nii-sama likes it so much.

Akon's eyes shook in fear. If she could cast a level 60 bakudo spell in the mines, he didn't want to think about what else she could do to him.

Rukia ignored Akon for the moment and refocused her attention on the paralyzed Nemu, who had been built to survive a broken neck but could otherwise not move. "It's over, Nemu-san. Where's Urahara? Tell me what I need to do to get Ichigo and Yoruichi-san back to normal!"

To her complete surprise, tears started forming in Nemu's eyes. "I can't tell you."

Rukia grabbed her by the collar, shaking her. "What the hell do you mean? Tell me before you make me kill you!"

There was no defiance in Nemu's eyes - just a deep, dark sadness; a suffering that seemed inhuman. "No, Rukia-sama. You don't understand. I can't tell you."

"What, you don't know where he is? You _have_ to know!"

"Of course I know where Urahara-dono is, Rukia-sama. But Mayuri-sama instructed me not to tell," Nemu answered, but then her voice cracked and the tears began to stream. "...And you assume that my father created me _with free will._"

Rukia wasn't sure whether should be astounded, dismayed, horrified, or all of the above; since she didn't put anything past Kurotsuchi Mayuri. She couldn't believe it had come to this. To live without being able to make your own decisions? Rukia could barely understand how horrific such a thing must be.

"Rukia-sama, I can't tell you, no matter how much I want to. Please, just kill me."

"No, Nemu-san, I can't do that," she sighed, letting go of the lieutenant's collar with a sigh.

"_No!_" she yelled. "You don't understand! I _want_ to die. Rukia-sama, I want you to kill me _right now_."

Rukia was confused. "How could you say such a thing?"

"Because Mayuri-sama will not let me kill myself," she began. "I have wanted to die for a long time, Rukia-sama. I know logically that if I had free will, I would hate my father. He does not see me as a shinigami - he sees me as a tool. He uses me as a weapon that he can throw away. He makes me participate in cruel experiments. He made my mind enjoy it when he rapes me. Yet I love him - _but only because he told me I must_," she cried. "But he doesn't care if I die. He never has - he just complains that he'll have to fix me. I love my father but I do not _want_ to_,_ Rukia-sama. And because I cannot change my fate, you need to change it for me. Save me, Kuchiki Rukia. Save me from this awful life. Make sure Mayuri-sama never fixes me again."

Rukia was overwhelmed. Nemu was barely human enough to have emotions at all. Nanao had once told her that Nemu had fun on some of the wilder escapades in the Shinigami Women's Association, and that Nemu always blushed at Yachiru's approval; so Rukia knew Nemu wasn't completely emotionless. Despite that, Rukia never thought she would see the day when Nemu would cry. The poor woman hadn't even cried when the 8th Espada consumed her body from the inside out. Rukia couldn't imagine Nemu in tears; it was inconceivable - but here, at her feet, Nemu _was_ crying. It broke Rukia's spirit - she didn't even think Nemu could cry even if she wanted to. Perhaps _that_ feeling - knowing that Nemu couldn't do anything she really wanted to - _that_ was what wrenched Rukia's heart.

Nemu could read the confusion on Rukia's face, but pressed her case in her normal, melancholy voice. "Rukia-sama, you need to injure my brain and heart to kill me properly." Tears flowed uncharacteristically from her face. "_Please,_ Rukia-sama."

"Nemu... I-"

"Rukia-sama, _please._ For my own dignity as a shinigami. Do not deny me the only dignity I have left." she commanded, her last words forced through a fierceness that portrayed her conviction.

Rukia did not know he she would be able to live with herself; but through her burning, salty eyes, she realized what she must do. _Unforgivable_, she thought. She had heard the awful details from Ishida and Renji about his complete lack of morals, but hearing it from Nemu's own mouth crushed her soul. No one should ever be abused - but for someone to _rape his own daughter_? That _sick, sick bastard!_

Hating what she was about to do - even though she knew she must - Rukia fetched her zanpakutou that she had lost during the fight. Looking down with deep sadness and sorrow, she stroked the tears out of the woman's eyes. "_Hai_, Nemu-dono - for your dignity."

"I will never forget this gift, Rukia-sama," she sniffled, a small smile forming at the edges of her mouth. Rukia could see a wave of peace that had settled over Kurotsotchi Nemu. It was the first time that she had ever seemed... _human. _"Thank you."

Summoning the deepest resolve she could, the imperial lieutenant released her sword with a whisper. _"Mai, Sode no Shirayuki." _She waved the white blade over Nemu's head, giving her a chance to see that her death would be done with the honor of the most beautiful zanpakutou ever known. As she saw the acknowledgement in the poor woman's eyes, she recited the shinigami's final rite of passing; symbolically placing the konso insignia at the base of her hilt on Nemu's forehead.

"_May you pass into the land of the living, and return to us once more,_" and although the rite normally ended there, Rukia concluded, "_and may you finally be free._"

Nemu smiled as she closed her eyes in anticipation. In one swift motion, Rukia swung Sode no Shirayuki with such force that she cleft Nemu from temple to temple, and without stopping her swing, she pirouetted gracefully. Never ceasing her motion, she redirected her blade around-and-down with elegance, cleanly plunging it through the shinigami's left breast with precision force. It was the most dignified way she could think of to do an undignified thing; and she cursed Kurotsuchi a thousand times over for even forcing her end to be so tragic. At least it should have been quick and painless, Rukia figured.

But it was no comfort.

* * *

_Similar to Kiyone in the prequel, "Save This for Kuchiki", I confess that I knowingly took liberties with Nemu's character in this chapter, so forgive me. This chapter was impossible - I know I got Nemu wrong, but I think that in this plot, it's impossible to get her right. I've tweaked this chapter so many times, trying harder and harder to get her at least as close as I can, but I know it's a bit forced. _

_From a pure literary standpoint, Nemu makes for a truly dramatic villain - a case where protagonist and antagonist do not actually _want_ a conflict. For that sake of dramatic flare, I opted to force Nemu's character a bit. Not sure about how y'all feel about this one - hopefully some of you think I did an okay job with her._

_Question for feedback - is the drama good here, or is it overwrought? I have mixed feelings about my writing here; but I suppose you keep reading so it can't be awful. :)_


	13. Explanations

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Bleach.

* * *

Tears burned her eyes while she decided to what to do with the body. Unfortunately, a proper burial would be difficult, and even if she made a makeshift grave in the middle of the laboratory, she was sure that they would just throw the stones aside and take the body.

If Nemu's body was recovered, Rukia was sure that the madman who dared to call himself her father would desecrate it all over again; Rukia refused to let that happen. She had agreed to fulfill Nemu's last request in order to return her dignity; leaving her bloody, broken corpse to be restored by its insane creator was not a fulfillment of that promise.

Bending down to the slain lieutenant's arm, she untied the vice captain's badge and placed in the pocket of her shihakusho. Kurotsuchi Mayuri will never touch this badge again. Even if a new one would be made, _this_ one belonged to Nemu; and no one else deserved the tragic burdens that came with it. "_Hado #54: Abolishing Flames_," Rukia cast, and within an instant, the only thing left of Kurotshochi Nemu was the badge in her pocket and the blood on her sword.

She took a moment to collect her swirling emotions, boxing them away to be processed when she had the luxury. _Ichigo and Yoruichi-san need me to find Urahara and get them antidotes._

Rukia returned to Akon, who had witnessed the whole exchange while immobilized under her kido. Rukia was not one who had any sort of passion for bloodshed, but she wouldn't hesitate to slit Akon's throat if he gave her trouble. She indicated as such by cleaning her katana on the collar of his lab coat, wiping slowly and forcefully with the edge pointed in the right direction. The act was not lost on him.

"I'm done with the games, Akon," Rukia glowered bitterly. She released the spell and he collapsed. "Tell me where Urahara-san is. Right now."

Akon jumped to his feet, eager to demonstrate his cooperation. Moving enthusiastically to appear as helpful as possible, he answered her quickly while shuffling across the room cautiously. "Urahara-san is being held in the computer room. I can take you there, but before we go, let me get you the antidote for the poisons we gave your friends," and he grabbed two cannisters from a nearby shelf, one orange and another purple.

Rukia was skeptical but took them after re-donning her scarf; and made a mental note to have Urahara double-check them before giving them to Ichigo or Yoruichi.

He took Rukia down the other corridor, navigating a maze of tunnels. Eventually, they arrived to find Kiyone helping Urahara out of the computer room. He looked sickly, and Kiyone was carrying a lot his weight; although she appeared otherwise fine. Behind them, Rukia could see a pile of 12th division officers, one on top of another.

"My, my, Rukia-san, you're looking ravishing this evening," he teased. "Did you know that Kotetsu-san can fight like a banshee-infused pitbull?"

Kiyone had considered dropping him at that comment, but when her vice captain laughed heartily, she opted instead to take it as a compliment. "Kuchiki Fukutaicho, what are we going to do about Hornhead over here?"

"Hey, who you calling Hornhead, Circus Girl?"

"Meh, you are so lame," Kiyone said, slamming an elbow into Akon's gut. "Even Kotsubaki has better insults than you. At least my father wasn't a goat."

"Kotetsu-san," Rukia ordered, in no mood for antics. "Lock him up in the 13th division jail. Tell Captain Ukitake that we found Urahara-san - give him this," she said, handing her Nemu's badge. "And tell him Vice Captain Kurotsuchi Nemu is dead."

-:-

"There is no way I'm drinking that stuff first. I'm not being the guinea pig. Yoruichi-san, you go ahead."

"My, my, I've checked them both. There's nothing to worry about, Kurosaki-san."

"It's okay, Kisuke. I don't mind." Urahara emptied the contents of the purple cannister into Yoruichi's water bowl; she lapped it up as though it was laced with catnip.

A large burst of gray smoke appeared. "Much better," Yoruichi said in her human voice, stretching and waving the smoke out of her face.

"Put some clothes on!" Ichigo blushed, covering his face with his hand enough to make it look like he was hiding his eyes. Rukia wasn't fooled and jabbed him in the side.

_"Oof!"_

"Serves you right."

"Alright, alright. Glad to see Yoruichi-san didn't die a gruesome death. Now, where's mine?"

Rukia punched him. "Keep your eyes closed, you pervert."

"_Ow!_ Damnit, Midget, you trying to break my ribs or something!"

Yoruichi shook her head with a sigh, but was unable to contain her smirk. "Kisuke, I don't want to cause a ruckus. I'll be right back." Yoruichi returned shortly thereafter in her standard human attire. In the meanwhile, Urahara had emptied the orange cannister into Ichigo's tea cup.

"Thanks," Ichigo said, rubbing his ribs. Rukia had given him a mark for sure. Holding his breath in anticipation, he took the cup and downed it in one gulp. Pulling out his substitute shinigami badge, banged it on his thigh. To his relief (and Rukia's as well), his shinigami form popped out. Happy to feel himself again, he made a show of breathing in deeply, but then coughed from the gray smoke left over from Yoruichi's transmogrification.

Ichigo sat back down into his body, which had slumped onto the table. "Finally," he said with a sigh of relief. "I'm not used to sleeping straight through the night, it gives me all kind of weird dreams."

Rukia rolled her eyes at him, but otherwise chose to ignore his pitiful attempt to get some attention. "Urahara-san, can you explain to us what happened? Why were you kidnapped?"

"Well, Kuchiki-san, it's kind of a long story," Urahara began. "As you know, Kurotsuchi sent me a letter inviting me to help him relocate some 12th division equipment. When I got to the Kobayashi Mines with him, he took me to the computer room where Kotetsu-san had found me."

"Wait - so everything was all set up when you got there?" Ichigo asked.

"Yes, including a makeshift prison. Using a poison gas that was attuned to my DNA, he incapacitated me and buried me under eight hundred pounds of bloodlust rock," he said in his common, careless, flippant tone. "It was most uncomfortable."

"So if Captain Kurotsuchi didn't need your help moving the facilities, what did he want? Why we would he kidnap you?"

"Ah, Kurosaki-san. That's because Kurotsuchi Mayuri thinks he needs to know everything, and he really hates it when people hide things from him."

"What do you mean?"

"I'm not sure if you ever heard the story, but Kurotsuchi Mayuri was always considered a dangerous individual. He was so dangerous that around a hundred or so years ago, he was locked up in isolation in a secret underground compound belonging to the 2nd division."

"How did he get out?" asked Rukia, who had never been filled in on the details before.

"Well, actually, _I_ let him out. I needed him to help me start the Technological Bureau of Research at the 12th division. As dangerous as he is, he is an astonishingly brilliant man. Although he is most definitely a deranged individual, his contributions to Soul Society at large have been invaluable. There's no way we would have won the Winter War without his genius, you know."

"Okay, thanks for the history lesson, Urahara-san, but what does that have to do with this?"

"My, my, Ichigo. So impatient today. Anyway, even I know how dangerous Kurotsuchi Mayuri is; so I had hidden some files from him that I never wanted him to see."

"Like what?" Rukia asked.

"Well, two specific pieces of information in particular. Ichigo, do you remember your bankai training?"

"Of course," Ichigo said. "That was the same technique you had invented and used yourself."

"Exactly. All of those details, including how to build the correct gigai, was one of the things I never wanted him to uncover - but only because of a discovery I had made." Urahara paused to sip his tea. "It was that discovery that required me to lock away the bankai gigai files." Without warning, he suddenly switched topics. "Rukia, did you ever wonder why turning Ichigo into a shinigami was a crime?"

Puzzled, she blinked a few times, glancing at Ichigo. She was admittedly a little embarassed - Rukia didn't even know why there was such a law, and for someone who had been convicted of this crime with such fanfare (for lack of a better word), she felt silly now that she realized she had no idea why it was wrong. "Uh, eh... actually, no," Rukia answered sheepishly.

"Obviously, shinigami can't just go around stabbing humans - but that's the reason why the law is still around. The original reason for the ban was something else entirely. The law came into effect as a preventative measure - Central 46 wanted to insure that there were never more than a handful of shinigami who had undergone soul infusion."

Ichigo was frustrated. Urahara wasn't getting them anywhere. "What's the big deal? What's so special about soul infusion?"

Urahara's tone switched to the serious one he loved using for dramatic effect. "Simple. It's a necessary requirement for achieving zotokai."

Yoruichi, who had been sitting quietly as Urahara had been explaining, instantaneously spewed her tea all over Ichigo in complete shock. "_What!_ Kisuke, you discovered_ WHAT!_"

Rukia had never heard of this zoto-whatever before, but she was secretly enjoying the fact that Ichigo was now bathed in someone else's food, considering how he had thrown up on her only a couple of days earlier. She thought about helping him, but it seemed perhaps a bit too intimate to wipe his face for him in present public; so she nonchalantly passed him her napkin. "Yoruichi-san, you seem to know a bit about this..."

"Zotokai," Urahara provided.

"...yes, zotokai. Can you clarify?"

Yoruichi shifted herself and shook her head in disbelief. "Kisuke, sometimes I think you're just like Kurosaki-kun. You never seem to be able to avoid trouble," she muttered, along with a few other choice words that Rukia only recognized from reading _way_ too much manga. "Kisuke, do you think Central 46 is involved?"

"I'm not sure. It's hard to say; but right now I would guess not. The law against soul infusion is pretty ancient; and it was not easy to uncover the reasons behind its origin. I had to break in to the main library, because it was before I became a captain, and-"

"Hey guys!" Ichigo interrupted, banging his fists on the table. "Can you explain _what the hell is going on!_"

The only expression on Yoruichi's face was pure, utter exasperation. She set her tea on the table. This was going to take a while.

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_Next chapter: A fascinating history lesson. Stay tuned!_


	14. Origin of the Four Houses

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Bleach.

* * *

_"The Dawn of Shinigami began with the king from the east, and the queen from the west._

_"At that time, he was not a king, nor she a queen - he was simply a man, known as Chibaniki Shiku; and she was simply a woman, known as Zohoin Toba. Neither came from prestigious families or nobility, for at that time, no such things existed. He, a butcher; she, a gardener; each had a family that they loved and supported._

_"Shiku lost his family to the monsters of the night; and in his suffering agony, was forced to bury his wife and thirteen children. As his toil bathed in the blood of his loved ones, their life leaking forth as he entombed them in the earth, their lifeblood seeped into his skin and merged with his core. To a lesser man, the taint of such tragedy would stain their sanity, leaving a man broken and hollow - but this man was pure. His mind, soul, body, and heart loved his family with burning white purity, and thus his essence could not be stained - so the white ribbon of this soul, faced with the blood of his most cherished, chose to dye itself a crimson red. The butcher reached for his largest blade, and willed his consciousness into it; so that it would serve him for all time._

_"Toba lost no one, for her family was not of those her kind. She lived alone. Her family was her flowers. She tended to them every day as their mother, nourishing them and bringing them forth to their greatest potential, be it the stunning beauty of fresh irises, or the deadly potent poison of the nightshade. To Toba, all that existed was because the world of souls found in it a purpose, and thus she reveled in the care of all flowers. Her heart was sad, for it was lonely; but she knew of no one else - for she thought the flowers birthed her, and to them she would return._

_"Shiku was man of pure heart, but new purpose; and so he set out to fulfill that mission that he had been gifted. For days, weeks, years; he passed through the world of souls, cleansing the horrors of the night, the monsters with holes. His journeys brought him towards the setting sun, which rose from his home in the east but set over Toba's garden in the west._

_"Eventually, he found her; and she loved him for she had met no other. Her loneliness drew forth his loneliness; and together they banished each other's solitude. Thus, their souls knew each other as Gods of Death - he who had escaped it, and she who relinquished his pain from it._

_"One day, Toba feared for Shiku's safety. She pleaded with him to forge her a blade; but he could not because her ribbon was white. She pleaded and pleaded, but it was to no avail; all until she asked his blade to share its will with her heart. Where Shiku could not, his blade could; and thrust forth, their ribbons intertwined; white with red and red with white, until neither could be distinguished. Crimson tied with crimson, the lifeblood of the loved flowed from core to core, and from her garden Toba took a reed; and infused with her newfound consciousness, it breathed forth life; and where the reed once stood she now beheld her own sword. From then on, they fought back the monsters of the night - she with the power of her mind, he with the power of his heart, and both with the power of the sword. Together, their strength grew, the edges of their weapons sharpened, until they mastered their blades to reflect their own souls, each to their own as is known today._

_"As the nights grew longer, these first shinigami realized that their great crimson ribbons called forth the beasts from the four corners of the spirit world. Shiku called forth to Toba, and he gathered his blade and she gathered hers, and they bound them; intertwining them in soul and weapon alike. In her honor, he etched her initials in his heart as a solemn promise to protect her all his days - and called forth the power of their being through that promise, known today as legend of the Zotokai._

_"The great Zotokai Spirit burst forth from the bound blades, like an entity from another universe. 'What seek ye, masters of great bond, that you call me forth on this day?' Awed by its power, they requested from the Great Spirit the freedom from the demons of the night, and so the Zotokai drew forth his awesome, mighty blade and cut a great hole in the sky. Calling forth to all monsters, his thunderous voice echoed from the garden of the west to the abandoned home in the east: 'Go, seek rest! Breed and be plentiful, and leave this place forever more!' Thus, the great darkness of Hueco Mundo was born, and the world of spirits was left to become dominated by a society of souls._

_"When the people of the land heard the echoing power of the Great Zotokai and saw their nightmares flee into the rip in the heavens, they cheered and searched and searched and saught, until they found Shiku and Tobu; and donned them King and Queen for all to honor._

_"Intertwined now in all aspects but one, they married and begot four children at once. Children born through parent's lifeblood, the crimson ribbon of Shinigami ran strong in their veins. Thus their followers begged of them, 'Please, O King and Queen, may we name them in your honor?' Toba knew of no names, for she had met none but Shiku; and Shiku had already named thirteen children - so they granted the wish of their followers. 'No name we know of from among__st us souls will bring glory to the Shinigami, thus we shall craft their names from your own;  
behold we call to them - Kuchiki, Shihoin, Shiba, and Banzo,' and they became the great Four Houses for all time in the land now known as Soul Society._

_"The King and Queen were honored, but they did not forget their origins. Shiku created thirteen armies to defend against the evils of the night - one for each of his deceased children; and Tobu branded each with a member from her family of flowers. They settled in the heart of the Court of Pure Souls, and they grew old together; but their Zotokai was never seen again."_

-:-

Yoruichi finished reciting the passage, the legendary tale of the 'Origin of the Four Houses', that had been written down in four tomes that was owned by each of the four great noble families.

"Why have I never heard of this tale?" asked Rukia, surprised that as a Kuchiki, she knew nothing about it.

"It's legend and myth about the creation of the Four Houses. It's not something you would have learnt in the academy; although I wouldn't be surprised if there were some in the upper echelon of the Gotei 13 who would recognize it. Lil' Byakuya does for sure - he could recite the whole thing word-for-word, just like I did. They make each head of the Four Houses memorize it before they ascend to lead their clan."

Ichigo interjected, curious. "I suppose that would mean Shiba Kuukaku also knows it?"

"Oh, I know for a fact that she does. I remember teaching it to her, after Kaien-dono passed away." Yoruichi looked to Rukia to see her reaction, but the petite shinigami gave none.

Ichigo, who in general could hardly give a crap about fairy tales, found this whole tale quite interesting. "So, I don't get it. If the story isn't a secret, why did you have to hide the files?"

"It's the not the story, Kurosaki-san. The story just confirms what I've discovered. A zanpakutou has only two releases - a shikai, and then a bankai. But soul infusion breaks down the barriers around the limitations of a zanpakutou's abilities. It's similar to how a vaizard's inner hollow allows a shinigami to surpass his natural limitations, and how an arrancar's removal of their mask gives a hollow powers normally only available to a shinigami."

Yoruichi asked the question that Ichigo and Rukia were still rolling around in their minds. "So zotokai is a third release of a zanpakutou?"

"Not exactly. It's a third release, but it requires a pair of zanpakutou that share the same bond. In practical terms, this means two people who have a bonded soul that are capable of wielding their zanpakutou to do so."

Realization came immediately to Rukia. "I get it now - Captain Kurotsuchi created Nemu from his own soul, so he met the soul infusion requirement with her; without violating any law!"

Ichigo followed the trail of thought. "And Nemu hadn't yet achieved bankai - so that's why you hid your bankai gigai information from him. You didn't want him to have an easy way to teach Nemu how to cross that gap."

"Exactly," Urahara answered. "Only two people who possess intimate knowledge of their zanpakutou - in other words, bankai users - could call forth a zotokai, even if they had met the bonded soul requirement. If Nemu were ever able to use bankai, then Mayuri would have nothing preventing him from releasing it. However, unlike a shikai or bankai, which is an extension of the shinigami's consciousness; a zotokai is a completely sentient manifestation of the joint emotions of the two wielders. It cannot necessarily be controlled by anyone."

Rukia's eyes widened in horror. "In other words, a zotokai spirit from the two of _them_ could be an unhinged demon, hellbent on testing the extent of its powers without regard for anything, even itself! It could want to obliterate itself and everything around it, just to see what would happen!"

Urahara nodded and took a sip of his tea. "Quite possibly. Any zotokai produced from _that_ couple could cause havoc so great that no one would even know how to contain it. Zotokai spirits possess powers and abilities that are beyond our current understanding. They could create entirely new dimensions, vaporize existing ones - and that's merely _some_ of the things I could think of. A zotokai could be capable of nearly anything. Unfortunately, Kurotsuchi Mayuri is too curious to avoid summoning one, even if it is extraordinarily dangerous. Of course, this is all highly theoretical. I've certainly never seen an actual zotokai, so I couldn't say anything for certain."

"So what do we do now?" Ichigo shrugged. "Did that bastard get into the files?"

"He did, and I promise you don't want to know how he got that information out of my head," Urahara shivered. "Thankfully, Rukia gave him a setback - without Nemu, he'll need time to recreate another soul-infused candidate. However, that could also mean that when he creates her all over again, he could possibly find a way to create her as a bankai user from the start. It's unlikely that such a thing is even possible, but I wouldn't put anything past that man. He is a genius, after all."

Rukia seethed inside at the mention of Captain Kurotsuchi recreating Nemu. She would not let that happen. She was about to say something, but Ichigo was one step ahead of her. "Then we don't have much time. C'mon, Rukia, let's go."

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_Next chapter will be out soon. Link below, that whole review thing? Yeah, I would really like it if you clicked it and provided some feedback. T'hanks! -njx_


	15. Mask and Wing

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Bleach.

_**Author's note: **If you haven't read the prequel, "Save This for Kuchiki", then you should now. This chapter contains MAJOR spoilers to that story, and you really won't appreciate this chapter if you haven't read the prequel._

* * *

Ichigo and Rukia arrived at the chained gates of the 12th division compound. Urahara had informed them that the entire 'liquified goo' problem was just a ruse to get moved out to the Kobayashi Mines, where it would be difficult to infiltrate.

Ichigo lifted his sword in preparation to cut open the chains, but Rukia shushed him. "Idiot - can't you ever use your brains for once?" she teased, and with her hand over the lock, used kido to melt it away.

He did little more than shrug. "Yeah, well, how was I supposed to know you could use kido for that?" he muttered.

The two waited for Yoruichi's signal - she had come with them in order to scout out and disable all of the inevitable traps and dangers that Kurotsuchi would have left for them - but when they saw fireworks go off in the sky over the east Rukongai, they groaned.

"I can't believe she's using that crazy psycho for signals," Ichigo grumbled.

"You know Shiba Kuukaku, she never wants to miss out on the excitement. Besides, it's a good distraction tactic," Rukia whispered as they entered through the gates. They were a bit surprised that Yoruichi's scouting told them to go through the front gate, but apparently that was the shortest route with the least resistance. It seemed that Kurotsuchi had little desire to have his rank-and-file shinigami get in his way, so the ones on duty had all been redirected to the surveillance tower, which was away from the laboratories that made up the majority of the 12th compound.

They passed the barracks, which were empty for the most part; but nobody that had stuck around gave them any trouble. That likely had something to do with the fact that he was the Hero of the Winter War, and she was the Grand Lady of the Kuchiki House. As far as the majority of the 12th division was concerned, Ichigo and Rukia could go whereever the hell they pleased. It was evident that they had no idea about what was going on in Kobayashi.

They sauntered over to Lab Alpha, the captain's private facility that was only open to the captain, vice-captain, third, fourth, and fifth seats. No one paid much attention to Rukia or Ichigo, but they were ready for the showdown. Yoruichi, perched high on top of the barracks in her feline form, gave the signal. Thanks to Urahara's backdoor passwords (that he had the foresight to consider setting up many years ago), Yoruichi had already shut down the security on the lab, and after they entered, it was her job to keep everyone else out.

Ichigo signaled he was ready, and Rukia opened the door. They had agreed ahead of time that he would take the lead, with her following behind. With his bankai, Ichigo's speed would well outpace Captain Kurotsuchi, and Rukia would provide backup if needed, with long-range kido spells to watch his back.

It was basically the same strategy that they used in their standard hollow-hunting tactics. By now, Rukia and Ichigo had fought side-by-side for so long that, as comrades, they considered each other an extension of their own hands rather than teammates. They always fought in tune, with a synchronization that could rival a choreographed fight scene in even the best kung-fu movie (although Rukia had yet to see one that was good - she preferred Chappy movies over Ichigo's boyish tastes).

In honesty, Rukia loved it. Fighting tag-team with Ichigo was such an essential part of their relationship. There was an inherent trust when you expected someone to put their life on the line for you. To both of them, the call of battle was more meaningful than a band's call to dance - something that they both admittedly wanted to do one of these days, yet neither had found the courage to arrange such a scenario. It would actually be quite funny if it wasn't so pathetic.

On top of that, she would never admit it, but without it she was pretty sure they would both go nuts. Sure, they had some hand-holding, and maybe a bit of very tame snuggling; but as much as Rukia had learned to adapt to the modern world, there were certain aspects of it that she could just not get used to - and to her, such carefree displays of affection were not so easily given. If they wanted to sweat together, it would have to be part of a sword fight. It was a good thing they fought a lot of battles side-by-side - it gave them a lot to do with their pent-up 'energy', as Rukia liked to think. Not too many people flirted under threat of death, but it was just a fact of life for the two of them. She wouldn't have it any other way.

Ichigo walked in, Zangetsu drawn and ready for a fight. So far, everything was going just a wee bit too easily for them, and it made Ichigo nervous. Rukia's white ribbon on the end of her released zanpakutou trailed after her as she followed him into the incredibly large room that Urahara had warned them about.

Kurotsuchi had never been satisfied with the inadequate amount of lab space the Gotei 13 had given him, so he used a dimension-bender to somehow contain a room several times larger than the outside dimensions should allow. The roof was over thirty stories above them, and the size of the lab itself seemed nearly the size of a square mile. Urahara had informed them of this fact so that they wouldn't make any assumptions about the territory before they entered. Despite the warning, it was a bit startling to see in person.

The room was seemingly empty, but that meant little, for there were plenty of places to hide. Lab tables were spread liberally throughout the room, decorated with a plethora of instruments, machines, bubbling chemicals covering every color of the rainbow, and plenty of things neither of them could describe - nor did they want to, come to think of it.

"Kurotsuchi, where are you?" Ichigo called out.

Rukia internally shook her head at his impatience, but she was resigned to it. This was just how Ichigo did things; she was used to it by now. Although, she thought, maybe I should sign him up for one of Soifon's covert ops classes. Considering it for another moment, she decided against it. He'd probably just fail it anyway; it's not like he can control his reiatsu enough to avoid detection.

A figure began to emerge from the wall, pieces of it flaking off as the distinctive 12th Captain came into display about ten yards away. "So glad of you to show up," he welcomed them, tone lighthearted before it turned into a burning, bitter gnashing of teeth. "I can't wait to use you in my zotokai experiments, seeing as how you killed my original test subject, Kuchiki!" he snarled, resting his hand on the hilt of his zanpakutou.

Ichigo glared and readied a retort, but Rukia stopped him with a hand on his shoulder. She stepped in front of Ichigo to address the mad scientist directly. "You are a disgrace to humanity, Kurotsuchi Mayuri. She was not your test subject, she was your _daughter_," she scowled.

"As if I could hear lectures on dysfunctional families from you, of all people!" he spat back, smiling sadistically. "You fawn over Byakuya's every word. You hinge yourself on his approval. _Hah!_ Do you forget so easily how your brother cast you aside as a convict? That he said he would kill you himself? Is he really so much better for humanity than I am? At least as my test subject, you would get plenty of my attention," he suggested.

Ichigo could tell that the remark wounded Rukia to the core. Ichigo's voice grinded in controlled rage. His relationship with Byakuya was shaky at best, but he loved Rukia just as much as Ichigo did, and that Byakuya probably hated himself for what he did to her. It didn't matter if Ichigo didn't understand why Byakuya had a stick up his ass all the time; Rukia was upset. As far as Ichigo was concerned, that gave him enough reason to chop Kurotsuchi's ass in two. "You _bastard!_" he yelled, putting his sword out in front of him. "_Bankai - Tensa Zangetsu!_"

Rukia was used to provocation. She wanted to slaughter Kurotsuchi, but despite her seething she kept her cool. Naturally, as though Ichigo's bankai was a part of her own tactics, she flash-stepped under the cover of his transformation's smoke blast to the far right corner, all without thinking. Just standard battle plans, like she and Ichigo did all the time. It was just natural. She didn't quite get behind Kurotsuchi, and since he could see her, she waited; coiled like a panther ready to pounce on tricky game.

"Come, come, now; you barbaric hero," Kurotsuchi shrugged. "There's no reason to clash swords over this. I can even cage the two of you together, so that you can continue to enjoy each other's company. Maybe you'll even breed more test subjects."

Rukia would never have succumbed to such petty taunts, but Ichigo couldn't stand to have her honor insulted - not after it took her so many years to get the honor that she rightfully deserved. Black sword came down against the captain's own, apparently drawn in the nick of time. Ichigo was much too fast for the captain, who preferred to win his battles with trickery rather than raw power, and it wasn't long before Ichigo had Kurotsuchi sweating. Meanwhile, Rukia circled the perimeter, making sure she was ready for whatever Kurotsuchi was planning.

Ichigo pressed harder, backing Kurotsuchi into a corner. He didn't even bother to taunt him with typical battle banter, preferring to keep Kurotsuchi under pressure. However, to Ichigo's surprise, Kurotsuchi disappeared right as Ichigo would have stabbed him through the throat.

In an instant, Rukia blocked the captain's strike behind her back; somehow feeling his reiatsu flow behind her. "What... is... this?" she flared through gritted teeth. Mayuri had leverage, position, and weight against her; making it difficult to hold the pose to resist him. She heard Ichigo and leaped out of the way to avoid a Getsuga Tenshou that cut into the wall.

"Fools," Kurotsuchi sneered from a twenty feet away. "I know I can't beat you on brute force. Did you think I would fight you on just any terrain? I know all of the timespace-continuum curves in this room. Unlike you primitive insects, I can take advantage of them," he explained. "Enough of this. Without Nemu to help me, it's pointless to try fighting you like this. _Konjiki Ashisogi Jizou_," he chanted, nonchalantly concluding with a click in his tongue, "_ban-kai_."

Rukia and Ichigo had both heard stories from Ishida and Renji about Kurotsuchi's Ashisogi Jizou, but nothing could have prepared their imaginations enough when they finally beheld the grotesque monster. Its baby head with alien eyes and weird, caterpillar body was just so horrifying it was beyond all comprehension. It reeked of rotting corpses and oozed a dark red, evil reiatsu.

Both of them had been warned of the creature and its poison breath; it was Rukia's job to deal with the latter problem. Aiming towards the roof, Rukia didn't hesitate one millisecond. "_Hado #66, Twin Lotus of Blue Fire Crashing Down!_"

The colossal blue blast of flame would have made Momo-chan proud. It blasted a gigantic hole in the roof. Just as Urahara had promised, it had opened a giant expanse of sky as the interdimensional bend widened the hole, swallowing up the rubble into the void.

Chaining just like she had practiced with Hinamori, Rukia followed with the second half of the battle plan. "_Hado #58, Orchid Sky!_" The tornado burst forth from her hand, gathering the poison gas and carrying it safely up and into the night sky. Ichigo flashed into position at her side; he would need to fend off any attacks so that Rukia could keep the kido spell going long enough to provide them with the ventillation.

Kurotsuchi's expression indicated that he was admittedly impressed. "My, my. Very well. We shall have to resort to the barbarian's way. Ashisogi Jizou, skewer him!"

Donning his four-stripe hollow mask, Ichigo cut forth a turbocharged Getsuga Tenshou. He didn't bother to hold back one bit. A swirl of chaos circled over his head, and fueled with his full-born hollow powers, Ichigo added a layer of cero blast into the dark gash of black reitsu. There was no way in however-many-damn-circles-in-hell was he going to let that thing anywhere near his Rukia.

Ichigo's blaze of death sliced through the monstrosity like it was no better than a class-D hollow. Split diagonally from gruesome head to horrid tail, the beast stopped in its tracks as the top half slid off the bottom to reveal its putrid guts. Kurotsuchi had his free hand severed from the attack, but the Ashisogi Jizou monster disintegrated and reformed back into Mayuri's sword, although this time in its three-pronged shikai form.

Rukia cut the spell. She had lost her patience with this sick, sick beast that some people still had the audacity to call a man. Rukia was never one for bloodlust, but all she could think about was Nemu's last request and the promise that she had made her - the promise to be free - and there was no way Kurotsuchi Mayuri was going to escape her wrath.

"Any last words, Kurotsuchi _Taicho_?" she menaced, spitting out the last word with so much contempt it could have killed him all by itself. "Actually, never mind. I don't even want to hear them. _Saigo no mai, nisshoku shiro - bankai!_"

The room was bathed in white light as the moon filled the entire visible space above them. Ichigo kept his mask on to prevent the effect from pulling him down, but the intense gravity of Rukia's bankai had already pulled Kurotsuchi to his hands and knees; he had lost too much reiatsu in the shattering of his own release. Powdery snow formed all over the lab, and Rukia ascended towards the ceiling, flapping her great white wings. Gaining altitude so that she could strike down with the added impact of the additional gravity, she climbed thirty, sixty, ninety feet into the air; righteous anger fueling her. She was going to pulverize every molecule in this man's body, and then she was going to obliterate whatever remained. Nothing was too terrible for this psychopath.

"_Rukia! Look out!_"

Ichigo's warning was too late - suddenly, Rukia was falling, falling, falling, _crashing_ into a laboratory table. Glass equipment shattered, scalding chemicals doused her; Rukia's skin burned and her side had been stabbed numerous times with shards of glass. The impact broke her tailbone, which had caused her to painfully bounce backwards onto the floor, landing on her stomach and knocking the wind out of her. She tried to get up, but could barely do any more than roll over, which hurt just as much because of the fracture.

Ichigo was at her side in an instant. "Rukia! Are you okay?"

"Uh," she groaned, spitting out blood. "What... happened?"

Kurotsuchi was laughing maniacally, that twisted, sociopathic laugh that made Ichigo's stomach churn. "Did you think I wasn't prepared to kill you - the woman who murdered my own daughter?" He noticed the scowl on her face. "What, does that disgust you? Doesn't every parent think their child is their crowning achievement? Doesn't every parent pour their effort and soul into creating and then raising a child? What gives you the right to judge me? Is it that silly scarf you wear that makes you feel so much more righteous than me, _Kuchiki?_"

Rukia couldn't move. Some chemicals had seeped into her wound and started to burn. Ichigo was carefully plucking glass out of her shihakusho, worried that if Rukia moved, they might cause serious damage.

"I know both of your files. I've seen your zanpakutou in action. It wasn't hard to create this," he indicated, pointing to a device that he had pulled out of his pocket. "It's a bankai neutralizer. You didn't think I would allow either of you to fight me to the death with your bankai abilities, do you?"

"You bastard," Ichigo glared.

"Shut up," Kurotsuchi snapped. "You have no right to say one word. What the hell do you know? You're nothing but a boy. You don't understand _anything._ What makes _you_ an expert? _You_ never had children." Kurotsuchi's voice was rising, glaring his horrid, golden teeth in anger. "I gave Nemu everything a person could ever need. I fed her, I clothed her, I suffered her idiocy. What do _you_ know about _parenthood_, you petulant child? My parents did nothing for me. They handed me over to be locked up in solitary confinement, just because I dissected a cat when I was sixteen years old. You have no right to judge me, you barbaric brat!"

Ichigo was confounded. He couldn't believe the old man was going emotional on him, but right now, he didn't mind. He needed to stall for time - Rukia didn't look like she could move. He stared blankly at the madman, hoping that Kurotsuchi would continue his soliloquy. Ichigo had a hard time believing that Kurotsuchi Mayuri had any real feelings for his daughter, but apparently he misjudged him, because Kurotsuchi was really angry.

"I gave everything I had to Nemu. I shared my genius with her. I withheld nothing from her - I gave her my anger when she needed it, my attention when she needed it, and my flesh when she needed it. You think that's sick? What the hell do you know, brat? Do you know what it's like to get _nothing at all_? Did your parents ever lock you up and never speak to you again? Where was the sacred 'Protector of All Children' when the scum that birthed me threw me in a hole and told me never to remember their faces for the rest of eternity?"

_Holy crap_, thought Ichigo, remembering his high school classes on Buddhism. So _that_ explains why his zanpakutou is so freakish.

Meanwhile, Rukia could barely hear the exchange. Someone was talking to her over Ichigo's shoulder. She didn't recognize him as she opened her eyes slowly, although he seemed vaguely familiar in a completely unfamiliar way. He was tall; with long, scraggly dark hair and a short but scruffy beard on a pointed chin. Sunglasses that rested on his chiseled nose covered his eyes, and he wore a ragged black cloak that covered the rest of his body, with only dark, black boots visible at the bottom. His voice was deep and throaty, with a solemnity and a musky edge that did not belie his badass appearance. "_It is time_, Kuchiki Rukia."

Somehow, the name formed in the back of her throat, and it escaped her lips without her even realizing it. "...Zangetsu."

"_Come_, Rukia," the figure called.

"How... how can I see you?"

"_You already know_, Rukia. _Call us forth_."

"But..."

"_You already know the answer_," he interrupted.

Rukia stirred, and Ichigo moved quickly to help her back to her feet. As she looked over Ichigo's shoulder towards Kurotsuchi (who had stopped yapping for a moment when she got up), she could see her own white-haired spirit behind him. Sode no Shirayuki did little more than bow her head, but Rukia understood.

"Kurotsuchi Mayuri," she challenged, finding her voice through the pain, "I have a gift for you."

Her adversary gave her a puzzled look, tinged with wicked amusement. "Oh? And what is that, might I ask?"

She plunged her white ribboned blade into a crack that had formed in the split tile of the laboratory floor, and without warning, seized Ichigo's enormous blade (back to its standard shikai form), which miraculously weighed no more than her own katana. Before he could protest, she slammed it into the crack next to her own weapon.

"Because you'll actually get what you bargained for before you die," she answered.

Grasping the white ribbon of Sode no Shirayuki and the cloth tail of Zangetsu's hilt wrapping, she twisted them around each other and wrapped the interlaced fabric around the hilts three times, close to the blades. She turned her hands out, thumbs down, and grabbed the handle of each sword - Zangetsu in her left, and Sode no Shirayuki in her right. Somehow, beyond her ability to understand how or why, she knew the words; as though Zangetsu and Sode no Shirayuki thrust them into her mind and then through her mouth to echo in the sky above.

"_Black Sun, White Moon, Gray Heaven, Mask and Wing -_

_**Zotokai**._"

* * *

_What did you think of Mayuri-sama? As horrifying as they are, his justifications are rather thought-provoking, no? Let me know what you think! -njx_


	16. Faces

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Bleach.

* * *

Kuchiki Byakuya felt a swipe of reiatsu unlike anything he had ever felt before. It wasn't from a shinigami, nor a hollow. In fact, he doubted most would even be able to discern it. It was like trying to use an AM/FM radio to pick up a satelite signal. Byakuya only noticed it himself because it held the faintest trace of Rukia's typical signature, albeit mixed up in a blend of something otherwise completely foreign.

He immediately put his paperwork aside, and in flash of shunpo, headed straight towards the source.

-:-

Rukia? Ichigo? Renji could recognize that reiatsu blend from a million miles away, even if it felt really weird.

He dumped the stack of papers on his lieutenant's desk. "Sorry, Hisagi-san, something's wrong - I gotta go," and in a flash, he was gone.

-:-

Ukitake was in no position to investigate whatever was going on in the 12th division compound next door, but he could tell that few had any idea of what was going on. Kiyone wiped the blood off of his mouth, and with the little strength he had left, he instructed her to send Kotsubaki to the 12th.

-:-

"_HAH HAH HAH! YES! FINALLY!_" Kurotsuchi cackled as the earth began to rumble.

He had never seen or felt a blast of reiatsu like it. It was not explosive - it was just expansive. It was subtle and hard to feel, but once he tuned in on it he was excited by its ferocious intensity. The spiritual pressure was so tangibly different that it didn't seem to disrupt most things as it passed by. The only thing it seemed to effect was the interdimensional bend that distorted the size of the laboratory.

He immediately began crunching facts in his head. Sonic reiatsu, dimensional distortion - absolutely fascinating. Such an amazing discovery!

The blast had left all of the items inside the laboratory intact, but the interdimensional barrier was obliterated, and sucked in the entire building structure of Lab Alpha into the void as it dissipated. Kurotsuchi's lab was now out in the open sky, with no walls or ceiling to hide behind.

Interesting, he thought. Is this just because of the dimensional distortion, or was this an intentional effect of the zotokai? So many questions!

Ichigo was holding Rukia tight, shielding her body in case any debris would threaten to collapse on them. Rukia was still holding their zanpakutou tightly in her hands, and her heart was thumping wildly in her chest as the entire universe seemed to shake around them.

Ichigo could see that Captain Kurotsuchi had ceased to be interested in them. He was laughing and marvelling at the chaos.

_Rukia, what the hell were you thinking?_ Ichigo, as a vaizard, knew what it meant to play with dangerous power. You couldn't just tap into that sort of thing without the threat of losing yourself to it. Underneath him, Rukai's flare nearly blinded him, but otherwise she looked deep in thought, eyes clenched with body tensed, reiatsu flowing through her tiny body. The flow was astoundingly powerful - holding on to her was like a mouse trying to climb up a giant waterfall - but he refused to let go.

He didn't care if he died. As long as she made it.

His own reiatsu was leaking - no, gushing - into her, and she absorbed his black-and-red energy as it swirled off into bended light. Her whole body was bursting with a bright, prismatic aura that seemed to split moonlight into rainbows. Bright beams of kaleidoscopic red, green, indigo, and every color in between were exploding in all directions; jamming his brain with a haze of every imaginable shade. A motley dance of palpable ribbons shimmered and curled off of them; threatening to blow out their retinas with a wild display of colors. Even her raven hair - her beautiful, distinct, silken black hair that Ichigo adored - was bursting with a psychedelic vibrance; its sheen a vivacious, chromatic luster.

_Rukia, hang in there! _he prayed.

-:-

Kotsubaki was ready to take on whatever he would find, his zanpakutou already released. It had been ages since he had some action. A direct order from the captain was exciting. Lately, Kotetsu had been the one to get all the fun.

When he arrived, though, he rested the head of his giant sledgehammer on the floor, since yet _again_, he would be useless when the real action arrived. The sixth and ninth division captains, Prince Kuchiki Byakuya and his former lieutenant Abarai Renji, were already there; standing like curious spectators. If anything was really going to happen, anything Kotsubaki could muster wasn't going to be necessary. At this point, he might as well have been a gnat aiding a pair of rhinoceros.

He looked over to Captain Kurotsuchi, who was behaving oddly; even for him. He seemed to be paying no attention to Head Lieutenant Kuchiki and Representative Kurosaki at all, scribbling in a small notepad while the most bizarre spiritual pressure emanated from the two of them. _What is it with that guy? Can't we get some normalcy, please?_

A giant ring of light appeared above the exposed lab, but it wasn't really light. It was more like darkness, if darkness could really be seen. It was just too weird for Kotsubaki to describe. As if to taunt him further, a cloud of smoke-that-wasn't-really-smoke burst forth from its center, sending a pillar of the cottony-yet-insubstantial material down to the ground that billowed in all directions.

Without warning, a sudden tornado formed around them, swirling the smoke and chaos around them as if a giant vacuum cleaner had opened up in the sky. Kotsubaki held on to his hammer like a weight, but the tornado didn't seem to be interested in carrying him off. As quickly as it began, it tore up to the heavens; carrying the smoke and fog and dust with it, leaving a serene quiet across the entire 12th division compound.

Kuchiki-sama and Kurosaki-dono had stopped their bizarre flare of rainbow reiatsu. The 12th division members who had remained in the barracks had come out to witness the display, although they were being held back by a purple-haired woman that Kotsubaki recognized as the eminent retired princess, Shihoin Yoruichi. What Kotsubaki realized at that moment was that everyone behind Shihoin-dono was gaping slack-jawed at something over his shoulder. Turning back to the battle in front of him, a figure emerged between Captain Kurotsuchi and the shinigami who appeared to be fighting him, who were now collapsed on their knees by their zanpakuto. Like them, his mouth fell open.

-:-

"_Marvelous! _Such an _incredible_ being!" Kurotsuchi admired.

The six-foot tall, man-like spirit flapped its wings, allowing it to hover a few feet off the ground in the midnight air. Its eagle's wing on the right was enormous; a storm-gray set of majestic feathers that flapped in the moonlight. The left wing looked like it had been torn from the devil's back - its leathery hide was dark; menacing its coal-colored veins as it stroked in sync with the other wing to keep the being aloft.

Smooth, and the color of freshly-charred ash, its pants cloaked almost-black boots that were braced in a soft-toned brushed metal from ankle through arch. It wore a long-sleeved tee with the hue of unrusted industrial chain, and skin on the being's hands was a pallid gray.

It's eyes, though - they were a burning, fiery red. It was the only facial feature that could be seen through the mask. It was slate and flat, with cut edges that wrapped around the edge of its face until the ears. A long mane of pure black and pure white strands, mixed up to the point where it seemed neither black nor white nor gray but a color of its own, flitted in the wind; trailing past the creature's shoulders. As the being bobbed in the air, the strands swirled in Kurotsuchi's eyes, as though he was gazing into an optical illusion.

He quickly noticed that it was armed. It wore a black leather belt with a silver buckle, and two short swords were tucked through it; one on each side. Neither was in a sheath, but the swords were identical in form: two medieval short swords, with a large ball pommel at the end of the hilt and a simple-yet-functional T-shaped crossguard. Their only difference was that the sword on its left had a white blade brighter than the sun, and the blade on the right was darker than the blackness of the abyss.

The zotokai spirit turned its back to Kurostuchi and looked at the two shinigami who had summoned it, bright red eyes bearing down on them. Reaching up to its mask, the great spirit removed it.

Rukia wasn't sure if she was relieved, scared, or angered that the world had played a cruel practical joke. For although she didn't recognize the long hair, the face was undeniable.

It was the face of Shiba Kaien.

* * *

_Next chapter: The Legendary Power is brought to battle - you won't want to miss out! Stay tuned!_


	17. Dikita Kuranaya

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Bleach.

* * *

The zotokai spirit spoke. Ichigo would have swore he heard his own voice, but Rukia recognized it as Kaien-dono's immediately. "_Zoto #3: Cage of Protection._"

Bars of reiatsu formed around Rukia and Ichigo, who were still standing around the zanpakuto that had been lodged in the earth. The reiatsu was so strong that Ichigo could tangibly feel the bars as though they were made of solid, reinforced carbon steel. Invisible forcefields made it impossible for them to reach through the gaps. Ichigo would have been nervous, if it wasn't for the fact that it had basically just informed them this was for their own good. His hand rested on Rukia's shoulder, making sure that she knew he was still there with her.

Returning its attention to a completely enthralled Kurotsuchi, who had gone back to scribbling furiously in a notepad, the spirit spoke again. "_Zoto #6: Voiding Barrier._"

Massive, transparent kido barriers instantaneously appeared around the exposed lab area. The only ones inside the three-foot-thick wall of energy were now Kurotsuchi, Rukia, Ichigo, and the Zotokai being himself. Ichigo could see that both Renji and Byakuya were examining the barrier from the outside, testing it to see if there was a way in.

As though it was finally satisfied with its preparations, the spirit finally introduced itself. "I am Dikita Kuranaya. In my world I am known as Kuranaya-zoto, Guardian of Mask and Wing."

Kurotsuchi had never been more excited in his life. Not only can I see it, I can hear it! To think that I can hear another's zanpakutou - this is a breakthrough discovery! "Kuranaya-zoto, welcome! You are just in time - we are so eager to learn more about you."

Kuranaya remained expressionless, but his voice was filled with utter contempt. "You are not my zanpakutou, therefore you are incapable of even conceiving me." Without even waiting to see Kurotsuchi's reaction, it turned its back on him and faced the pair of shinigami, who had managed to stand and brace themselves on their weapons, clearly weak. "Kuchisaki Rukigo - does this man threaten the lives, honor, dignity, and futures of others?"

Too worn to speak, they looked up at Kuranaya with solemn but determined faces. After a quick glance at each other, both Ichigo and Rukia nodded their heads.

"So be it," it said, and turned to their opponent. "Tell me your name," it said, withdrawing its swords, right hand reaching over to grab the white blade on the left, left hand reaching under to draw the black sword on the right.

Kurotsuchi drew his sword as a toothy, arrogant smile spread across his lips. "12th Division Captain, Kurotsuchi Mayuri, Head of the Technological Bureau of Research. You've come just in time to participate in my experiments."

Kuranaya showed no reaction, but instead answered in a lilting cadence, as though it was channeling an otherworldly force. "Your fate, and your name, will now descend into the maelstrom."

Anyone who had met Kurotsuchi knew that he was not above experimenting on himself. Indeed, throughout the years, he had nearly rewired his entire brain; replacing the organic material with superior substances that could relay information over three-thousand times more rapidly than previously thought possible. For the most part, this gave him an extraordinary intelligence, since he could literally think exponentially faster than the laws of biology had ever allowed. In this case, however, these augmented senses were not fast enough to help him. Before the enhanced neurotransmitters in his brain had barely finished parsing the sounds his ears heard into comprehensible language, a wicked blur of gray gutted everything below his throat in a whirlwind of razor-bladed fury.

Blood would have splattered, but as Kuranaya's swords touched his flesh, the cells instantly decoupled their subatomic bonds, and nothing remained except for spirit-quarks. Kurotsuchi had no chance to liquify himself, for there was nothing left to liquify. His head, somehow still sentient and alive despite no body nor organs to sustain it, fell to the ground. Kurotsuchi's senses were still functioning - the pain was absolutely astounding - and he could see the being raise its swords high above its wings.

"Goodbye, Nametaken One." With that parting statement, Kuranaya thrust his swords through the seeing eyes of his target's head, bursting it into nothing more than a cloud of ionic dust.

-:-

"_Zoto #1: Relinquish_," Dikita Kuranaya cast, and the barriers that had formed around his battlefield with the Nametaken disappeared; as did the ones around Rukia and Ichigo. It approached them slowly, flapping its great wings and affording them the moment to digest what they had just seen.

"Th-th-thanks," Ichigo stuttered.

"Y-y-yeah," Rukia agreed.

The Zotokai spirit touched down in front of them, landing softly on the tile. Wordlessly, it put its right hand on Rukia's side, and with a zap of blue and yellow light, Rukia's injuries were healed, her regal attire repaired like new, and her lost reiatsu restored.

Ichigo was about to ask what the hell it was doing when the being clamped his left hand over Ichigo's face, and Ichigo could feel his entire body regain every last ounce of strength and reiatsu that had been sucked out of him. "Oh," he mumbled, slightly taken aback when he realized what had happened.

"Goodbye, Kuchisaki Rukigo." Turning to the side, Kuranaya stabbed the air in front of them with both swords, and spreading his arms wide as though he were prying open a set of stuck shouji screens, opened a portal to a vortex of flowing pandemonium. From behind its back, it pulled out the mask it had worn when it first appeared. Replacing it on its face, the burning red eyes were visible once more; and without looking back, it stepped through the portal and was gone.

Renji ran over. "Hey, are you guys okay?" It was undignified for Byakuya to run, so he used shunpo to appear next to his colleague.

Ichigo looked around. Other than the 'evaporated' laboratory, nothing else looked particularly out of the ordinary. "Yeah, we're fine. I think."

Rukia nodded in agreement. "Hai, Nii-sama, Renji. We're alright."

"What the hell was that?" Renji asked.

Byakuya interjected. "Not now, Abarai Taicho. I am sure that they need to rest after their battle. I will tell Kotsubaki San-Seki that Kuchiki Fukutaicho will be reporting these events to her captain later this evening." Byakuya then turned and departed.

Annoyed but taking the hint, he turned to Ichigo. "You better fill me in later, okay?"

Ichigo slapped him five. "Sure."

Renji departed. As he passed, Rukia and Ichigo could see Yoruichi giving them the thumbs-up sign as she tried to corral the 12th division shinigami back into the barracks, making sure that they wouldn't cause a scene. After all, they had just witnessed the death of their captain, Captain...

What the hell was his name again? Ichigo couldn't remember anymore.

In any case, he was surprised by how little damage they had caused. Rukia was always giving him hell for leaving a trail of destruction in his wake. "Oi, Rukia?"

"Yes?"

"You hungry?"

Rukia laughed. He was the only person in the universe who could know that her stomach was rumbling right now. "Starving," she laughed, and the quickly headed back to the 13th division's mess hall, the closest location to grab a bite to eat before they would head to the captain's pavillion.

* * *

_Author's notes:  
__1) Yes, I know that Japanese names are family-then-person. The zotokai does indeed prefer to be called by his first name, in case you were wondering.  
2) Kotsubaki's shikai is totally made up. Somehow, that idea came to mind. It's not terribly important, but I thought I would throw it in for the heck of it. _

_Next chapter: the ending - and anyone who remembers the ending to "Save This for Kuchiki"... well, stay tuned! -njx_


	18. Badge

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Bleach.

_Author's notes for the entire story are at the bottom (with teasers!) - please incorporate them into your feedback. Thanks so much for reading this story (and its prequel) - I am grateful for all of you have told me how much you like it!_

* * *

Rukia and Ichigo ate like they had never seen food before. They weren't sure whether it was because they were famished or because it actually tasted good, but the rice and chicken seemed delicious. After their stomachs told them that they had enough, they went over to the captain's pavillion to file their report. The unseated officer who was guarding the door let them in, but it was obviously not a good time.

Ukitake was propped up on the floor against the wall, a wet bandage draped over his forehead. His shirt had been removed, instead replaced with a towel that was badly stained with the blood that was drooling from his mouth. His normally white hair was rusted with dried blood, and he looked even more pale than usual. Kiyone was carefully helping him drink some tea, and was alternating it with a spoonful of thin miso soup.

"My deepest apologies, Captain," Rukia began quickly. "We'll come back later - we didn't mean to bother you."

"Stay, please," he groaned.

Ichigo put up his hands to protest. "Please don't push yourself, Captain Ukitake, really, this can wait."

"_Wait_," he commanded, using strength he really didn't have.

Rukia understood it as a direct order rather than a request. She nodded to Ichigo, who was looking to her for guidance. Kiyone continued tending to Ukitake, cleaning the edge of his mouth tenderly and switching the cold compress on his forehead with another one.

They sat down carefully on the mats by the desk, somewhat removed from the scene. Kiyone took a moment to give them a weak smile, as if to thank them for being patient, but was otherwise preoccupied. She quickly fetched a blanket from the closet, and covered him with it, hoping that it would provide Ukitake with a bit more warmth but a lot more dignity. "Jushiro-san," she said, holding his hand and sounding genuinely worried, "are you sure I shouldn't send for Unohana Taicho?"

"No, no," he dismissed, words coming out a bit scratchy and weak but otherwise clear. "I think that's the worst of it."

Rukia opened her mouth to speak, but Kiyone shook her head in her direction, gesturing for Rukia and Ichigo to just sit tight and wait.

About twenty minutes later, Kiyone helped Ukitake up and into the private changing room that was in the back of the captain's quarters. Because of his health, Ukitake primarily slept in his office; it was quite far to the Ugendo estate where he had once lived. The Winter War had agitated his illness badly, and he could not travel there as often as he liked. Rukia had once told Ichigo that she thought Ukitake might retire, since he was not as well as he used to be. Ukitake was loathe to vacate his position, though; he worried that the Gotei 13 had enough open captain's seats to be filled.

Ichigo had once questioned why Rukia couldn't promise to take the position in his place. She had achieved bankai and was thus now eligible, after all. She countered that if that was what she wanted, she could have had the 5th division captain's role a while ago. For the meanwhile, Rukia was happy being a lieutenant. It was hard enough getting used to that alone. Besides, she was likely reluctant to give up the badge that had been inscribed by her former mentor.

On the other hand, Ichigo understood why no one was quick to ascend to Aizen's old seat. They likely felt it was cursed. It wasn't like he wanted it, either.

Back to the present, Ichigo thought about what he had just been forced to witness. "Wow. She really takes care of him, doesn't she?" Ichigo whispered to her.

"Yeah. I've never seen the captain like this before, but I'm glad he has Kotetsu-san to help him through it."

Ichigo nodded, thinking. Instinctively, he reached over to hold his comrade's hand, but she pulled away. Ichigo gave her a hurt look, and she relinquished. I suppose we can hold hands until the captain comes back out, she thought.

"Hey, Rukia - promise me that if _I_ ever get like that, you'll take care of me."

"Idiot," she glared at him, but it lacked the usual harshness. "Of course."

He smiled and was about to say something when the captain and third seat emerged from the changing room. Ukitake was dressed in a light robe, and was bracing his arm against Kiyone for support. She helped settle him down in his chair behind the desk, and fetched the kettle from a small fire in the other corner of the room. Kiyone then poured tea for the four of them. Ichigo noticed that she emptied the contents of a small vial into Ukitake's mug before sitting down behind him. Kiyone paid no attention to Rukia and Ichigo and was fretting over Ukitake, worried that he might suffer a fainting spell any moment.

"Thank you for waiting," Ukitake said, voice a bit weak but otherwise okay. "You two have a lot of explaining to do. One of my third seats brings me a dead vice-captain's badge, and the other tells me that a captain of the Gotei 13 has just been killed. That's troublesome enough, but there's something else that bothers me. I know this badge belonged to a lieutenant named Nemu, but for the life of me, I can't remember the rest of her name. Now I may be ill, but I'm definitely not senile. _What is going on?"_

-:-

They explained everything they could about how the 12th division captain kidnapped Urahara. Rukia filled in the details about her fight with Whatshername Nemu, and Ichigo retold of the events that led to the oblivion of the insane, blue-haired, face-painted scientist, for which no one could seem to remember his name. Rukia was glad Ichigo covered that part. She wasn't keen on revealing anything about Kuranaya's resemblance to Kaien-dono, though; since she wasn't sure what to make of it herself.

Kiyone had Akon retrieved from the 13th division jail to confirm the details around Urahara's kidnapping, as well as the subsequent fight with the 12th division lieutenant. Eventually, Ukitake was satisfied that Ichigo and Rukia had acted either in self defense, or within the best interests of the Gotei 13.

Afterwards, he released them, noting that he would have to file his report with the General Yamamoto the next day. To Ichigo's surprise, Ukitake suggested that it was a convenient time to go back to the real world. Rukia and Ichigo didn't have to think twice - Central 46 tended to get a bit overzealous in its investigations, and neither wanted to be conveniently accessible for questioning.

Thankfully, two captains and several of the 12th division officers could testify that Rukia and Ichigo did not kill the 12th division captain, as they were locked in a cage and couldn't even go save him if they had wanted to. They didn't know if that would hold ground, since it had basically been their order that killed him; but Rukia and Ichigo hoped no one could hear them inside the barrier. In any event, Rukia was pretty sure that no one, other than maybe Akon, would truly miss the former captain.

"Ukitake-sama, before we go back, do you think I could have Nemu's badge? I... I want to bury it, since it's all that's left of her."

Ukitake considered it for a moment, and then handed her the badge. "Just don't tell anyone I gave it back to you, or they'll bill you for the new one," he teased. She would have laughed but it felt a bit too morbid, but she thanked him as she accepted it.

Walking outside the captain's pavillion, she knelt down over a small, soft patch of earth. Ukitake grew his bonsai trees right outside his office, although lately they had been unattended. She dug a hole about a foot deep, and removed the badge from her pocket.

As she pulled it out, the black sharpie that she usually kept in her shihakusho fell out. Normally, she carried it so that she could scribble on Ichigo's face when he insulted her drawings. She picked it up, glad that she still had it with her. Uncapping it, she turned the badge over and carefully wrote on the back:

"May you finally be free"

Looking up at Ichigo for approval - he nodded with a gentle smile - she capped the marker and returned it to her pocket. Reverently, she placed the badge in the makeshift grave. Ichigo knelt down, and together, they buried Lieutenant Nemu's vice captain badge.

-:-

Passing through the senkai gate, Rukia felt a twinge of guilt that she had not stopped to see her brother again before she went back to the real world. As impersonal their relationship might be for a family, he was her closest relative. He was one of the few people she really missed whenever she was on Earth.

In reality, she knew that she probably felt guilty for a different reason. She had her second family in the Kurosaki home; but when she wasn't in Soul Society, Nii-sama had nobody. Rukia was acutely aware that he spent much of his personal time at Hisana's memorial, and it suddenly came to her that he was probably lonely. As the highest noble in all of Soul Society, he had few peers; and all of his relationships with other captains were professional rather than personal. Not that she and her brother spent any time talking, but she was one of the few people who understood him at all. Sometimes, just having someone around who understands you is important, even if you don't have to say anything.

Putting it out of her mind, Ichigo and Rukia headed back to the Kurosaki house. The moon was bright that evening, and the two of them still had plenty of time to make it back before they would need to get up the next morning. When they turned the corner, out of the eyesight of Urahara Shoten (the typical entry point for their return), Rukia casually reached up and took Ichigo's hand. He smiled at her, and they walked silently the rest of the way. If anyone saw them, it would be a bit odd - he was back in his body, since he had left it in Urahara's; and her gigai was still back at the house. Anyone who wasn't spiritually aware would think Ichigo was a basket case, talking to his invisible friend and holding hands with the air.

Yep, Rukia thought, allowing a small smile to curve over the edge of her lips. There's no way I could get away with holding his hand back in Soul Society. Nii-sama would probably make him propose first, she snarked to herself.

"I'm glad that I have my body on the way back this time," Ichigo laughed, remembering the last time the two of them came back from Soul Society to find their room occupied by a curious Chappy and her lecherous mod-soul boyfriend.

Rukia stopped short. "Oh no - my gigai!"

Ichigo's eyes widened as he instantly understood. "Kon!"

They dashed back, deju vu leaving an awkward taste in their mouths as they came inside. Yuzu, Karin, and Isshin were watching the end of a movie, and they all saw a teenage cloud of angst dart up the stairs.

"What's up with Ichi-nii?" Yuzu asked.

Karin mumbled something under her breath that Yuzu couldn't hear, and lied like she usually did. "He's just excited to see Rukia, that's all."

Crashing open the door to Ichigo's room, they looked around for signs of mischief. To their surprise, though, Rukia's gigai had been neatly curled up on Ichigo's bed, resting in the pajamas she was wearing when Yoruichi first informed them of Urahara's absence. Surveying her body, Rukia didn't see anything particular out of the ordinary.

"_Ahem_," coughed the lion plushie from behind them.

"Kon?" Rukia turned, finding the lion standing on the ground with his arms folded.

"What, did you think I was dumb enough to do something to your limp body while you were gone?"

Ichigo rolled his eyes as he kicked off his shoes. "Actually, yes."

Kon glowered at them, pointing his finger and raising his voice. "You jerk! I'm not _that_ depraved! I'm not going to take a woman without her consent," huffing angrily at them.

Rukia beamed at him. "Kon? Is that you showing some moral sense of decency?" she teased.

Kon huffed again, snubbing his nose at her. "Yeah, yeah, don't tell anyone or it will ruin my reputation."

Rukia pulled the covers aside and hopped into her gigai. As she usually did, she stretched afterwards, to make sure she had settled into it correctly. Ichigo couldn't help but notice a bit of her pale midriff as her arms extended over her head. Yuzu's pajamas aren't really cutting it anymore, he thought. Not that I'm complaining...

He offered her a hand to help her up, but to his complete surprise, she yanked on him hard and pulled him down on the bed next to her. "Huh - wuh?"

Rukia just wrapped her arm around his shoulders. She didn't know why she felt so touchy-feely tonight, but she wanted to feel him close by. Perhaps it was how he had held on to her while the zotokai reiatsu flooded through her. Maybe it was seeing Kaien-dono's face - _again_ - that unnerved her. Regardless of the reason, she needed Ichigo next to her right now. How she had survived so long without the comforting touch of another was beyond her; how she had survived without _his_ touch was incomprehensible. At that moment, her heart craved Ichigo's presence. She never would have admitted it, but she felt intensely vulnerable that evening.

Ichigo peered over at her from the corner of his eye, afraid that if he tilted his face in her direction, they would be breathing each other's air - and he was already struggling to contain himself. "Rukia... you okay?"

"Idiot. Of course I'm okay," she said, masking her turmoil by pulling the covers over both of them.

Ichigo was very confused. He could feel her warmth next to him, and it was a bit... provocative. This was _way_ out of character for her, he thought. We haven't even kissed, and here we are in the same bed.

"Shh," she whispered in his ear, as though she could read his thoughts. "I'm just happy to be home."

Ichigo wasn't sure exactly how that translated into the current arrangement of her leg curled around his own, but again, he wasn't protesting. Reaching over to shut the light, he wrapped an arm around her and pulled her closer, his entire arm enveloping her petite frame. He was yet again confused as to why she was being so forthcoming, but he supposed he could stand to be confused more often.

A few moments passed, and then Rukia spoke softly in his ear. Her tone serious and contemplative, as though her mind was somewhere else. "Ichigo, I learned a lot of things over the past few days. Things about death and honor. But most of all, I learned that nobody - not even the worst of us - can ever live alone. And I don't ever want to be alone, Ichigo." She hugged him tightly. "I don't ever want to die without having said 'I love you.'"

A warm glow settled over Ichigo as he smiled, content. It was only a few moments before the two of them drifted off to peaceful slumber. As his consciousness faded, his mind was at peace. Kisses and dances would come later. For now, he finally had everything he ever wanted.

_THE END_

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**Author's Notes (with embedded teasers!)**

First of all, thanks to all of you who provided constructive criticism, praise, and all other sorts of feedback. I'm glad you've enjoyed my work.

Some notes about this story:

- I felt a need in this story to 'set Kiyone back on track' for the remainder of the trilogy. Hence, I incorporated her rehabilitation into this story as a means of showing how Rukia had grown into her position as vice captain. Also, expanding upon her relationship with Ukitake was a good contrast to show how people's emotions and relationships can take time and tribulation to flourish. Although ultimately her rehabilitation was not essential to the story, I think it added the right flavor; I hope that you don't disagree too much. For more details on why I used Kiyone, see the next point.

- I wanted Rukia to be front and center in a major, badass fight; in this case, her battle with Nemu. She needed a partner in the adventure up until then, since Rukia isn't the loner type. Thus, I couldn't really use Ichigo, because he would never let her fight alone. Kiyone was a good choice since Kiyone would respect Rukia's strength and leadership, based on both her superior rank as lieutenant, and also because of the events in the previous story, "Save This for Kuchiki".

- The idea for a 'zotokai' came from this thought: Ichigo and Rukia have the unusual characteristic of being related through soul infusion. When I thought about that, I noted that Mayuri and Nemu had the same critieria, albeit differently. Mayuri makes for a good villain; so I went with that as my basic protagonist/antagonist structure, with the soul infusion concept at the heart of the conflict. The rest sort of flowed from there; I needed to give reason for Ichigo and Rukia to want to fight a captain and lieutenant. Rescuing Urahara seemed like a good motivation for Ichigo & Rukia, and would require the Kurotsuchis to need a cover-up. Hence, things sort of fell into place that way.

- What about Dikita Kuranaya? Well, obviously I played on the black/white/gray thing. I hope that the 'Mask and Wing' was an obvious reference to Ichigo's hollow mask and my devised angelic bankai form for Rukia (where she has wings). I chose to play off of the devil/angel theme as well as black/white. The idea was that Rukia's and Ichigo's joint emotion is a responsibilty and desire to protect others above all else - but you'll have to read the last episode in the trilogy to find out more.

- A number of you have asked me why Kuranaya calls them 'Kuchisaki Rukigo'. Well, since he is essentially a release of their interwoven, melded zanpakuto; to him they are only one entity. It's kind of like how Kyoraku and Ukitake have daisho sword pairs - both sword in the pairs are part of their one zanpakutou, so they have one name (at least, in theory). This is just the inverse.

- Almost everyone is wondering: _why did Kuranaya look like Kaien? _I'll say this: you'll find the answer in the final story. It's all _'s fault.

- What did everybody think of the 'Nametaken' concept? I'm _very_ curious to hear whether or not people liked this idea.

- A large portion of this story is designed to shape the history for the final one. So don't be surprised if you have unanswered questions; but I'd be curious to hear from you as to what your unanswered questions are. I want to make sure I cover them all in the final story. So please! Message me with your open questions, I'll try to make sure I've covered everything.

- Action scenes: I really wanted to do some great action scenes. I got surprisingly few comments about the action, which surprised me since the one with Nemu was _ long._ Writing good action scenes are generally difficult because the medium doesn't visualize as well as manga or anime do, and one minute of solid video action can be very lengthy when described on paper. So feedback here would be really helpful, both on technical execution as well as style. For example, I thought the head-butt was cool, what did y'all think of it?

- Speaking of action, the final kick that Rukia gives Nemu - I was hoping that was clear. I wanted to find a YouTube video or something so that people could see what I was thinking, but I didn't; so I hope you understood it. Let me know.

- Many of you had mixed feelings about my portrayal of Mayuri. Personally, I don't think it's hard to believe. He is very emotional about certain things, particularly his pride and ego. As is shown many times in the manga, he has a strong dislike when people judge him; he often responds by saying that they don't understand him or appreciate his genius. It seemed reasonable to assume that Mayuri would be just the type of person to rationalize his flaws away; exactly as he does in this story. He figures out, according to his own twisted worldview, how to present himself as no different from anyone else; it is an aspect of his ego. From this, it was easy to figure out how to provide a traumatic history that would leave him skewed enough to end up the way he is. Curious to see what people think about my portrayal and fictional history, but I think I kept him in-character enough to be realistic.

- Some of you have asked me why I've been slow-rolling Rukia and Ichigo's relationship, For example, someone asked me: how is it that they really, really love each other; yet can't find a way to kiss? My answer to that is: I explore this more in the third story yet to come, but also because I am trying to present a much more nuanced understanding of love in this trilogy. Ukitake/Kiyone, Rukia/Ichigo, Mayuri/Nemu, and other pairings yet to come all have more complex understandings and flavors of love; and that's what adds to the drama. I think the beauty of love is that it's not just one thing - it's many different things to many different people. Besides, otherwise arranged marriages wouldn't work. (Did I just let something slip? Darn, gotta keep those teasers under control...)

- My take on 'The Origin of the Four Houses' - many of you told me you thought this was good. I am really grateful for that - I was worried most people would hate it. That was a very complicated backstory. It's much more important than most of you realize, since it ties into the final story.

- **Due to popular request, I have added a picture to my profile of 'Head Lieutenant Kuchiki Rukia', in full regal garb based on this trilogy. Ping me if you like it! :)**

As always, please feel free to pass this on to those you think might enjoy it. Also, I have two other very short stories, "The Undiscovered Betrayer" and "Punked, Bankai Edition"; if you like my writing please check those out as well.

Thanks for reading! Without readers, there wouldn't be writers. So thanks for sticking through. Y'all know who you are. ;D

Cheers! -njx


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